Suspect in NYC subway shooting apprehended

May 25, 2022 Najuma Wilkinson US 0

Andrew Abdullah is escorted into the Fifth precinct, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in New York. Abdullah, the man wanted in an apparently unprovoked fatal shooting aboard a New York City subway train surrendered to police on Tuesday, hours after authorities posted his name and photo on social media and implored the public to help find him. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Andrew Abdullah is escorted into the Fifth precinct, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

OAN NEWSROOM
UPDATED 9:57 AM PT – Wednesday, May 25, 2022

The primary suspect in a deadly subway shooting in New York City surrendered after a lengthy manhunt. In a Tuesday press conference, the NYPD Commissioner announced the arrest of 25-year-old Andrew Abdullah.

“Today the manhunt for Andrew Abdullah is over,” said NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. “Less than three hours after the NYPD released his photograph to the public, Mr. Abdullah knew he had nowhere left to run.”

Abdullah stands accused of fatally shooting 48-year-old Daniel Enriquez in New York’s Q Line subway train over the weekend. Police were able to identify the suspect through canvassing by transit officers, community engagement and social media outreach. The arrest came after a local bishop went to negotiate the suspects surrender with the police.

“He was arrested in his lawyer’s office this afternoon and is now being prepared for arraignment,” stated Sewell. “The murder of Daniel Enriquez was every New Yorker’s worst nightmare. Tragically, it’s a scenario that we’ve seen play out far too many times before. Andrew Abdullah was well known to the criminal justice system, but again and again his repeat offenses were not enough to keep him off our streets.”

Andrew Abdullah is now in custody.

We’re grateful to New Yorkers who shared information — and to the @NYPDDetectives for their hard work investigating this senseless homicide. https://t.co/v05nARQ0oP

— Commissioner Sewell (@NYPDPC) May 24, 2022

Commissioner Sewell revealed Abdullah’s lengthy criminal history, which stretched back to 2016. That history includes felony assault, attempted murder, grand larceny and an ongoing gun charge. New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) blamed the shooting on what he called a “revolving door” criminal justice system.

“We got him and we got him in a way that he did not cause more injuries to New Yorker’s,” voiced Adams. “I think the commissioner stated something that’s important, we got a killer off our streets. Far too many killers are back on our streets through a revolving door criminal justice system that appears to pit the NYPD and good New Yorker’s against the bad guys.”

In the meantime, he’s being charged with second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree while investigators review the evidence against him.