Cops Hunt Four Teens Who Are Randomly Shooting People in the Face in the Bronx

A group of four New York teens are being hunted for shooting two people in the face with pellets from a BB gun in two separate incidents in the Bronx.

Police released a video of one of the attacks by the teen suspects where they were seen shooting and injuring a 73-year-old male worker at a fruit stand earlier this month.

Another reported incident only a few days later involved a 37-year-old male conductor who was shot in a subway station.

‘It’s like a Knockout Game, but with a BB gun,’ a police source told the New York Daily News. The ‘Knockout Game’ term refers to a 2013 trend where attackers were knocking strangers out by punching them in the face.

In the NYPD video released Wednesday, the footage captured the moment the four teens shot the elderly fruit-stand worker on the night of November 3 on White Plains Road at E. 219th St. in Olinville.

The young suspects were seen loitering on the sidewalk near the fruit stand at around 10:50 p.m.

Shortly after, the one of the teens in a dark hoodie is seen pointing a BB gun at the worker while another suspect in a gray hoodie records it on his cellphone.

The two teens and their fellow accomplices are then seen running off the sidewalk and down the street.

The worker sustained a cut to the face and was taken to Jacobi Hospital, where he was found in stable condition.

The second attack occurred at around 9 p.m. on November 8 at the southbound No. 2 platform at the E. 219th St. subway station.

One of the suspects wearing dark clothing opened fire on conductor Trevor Thomas, according to TWU Local 100.

Thomas reported that he had heard a pop and then felt a stinging sensation in his nose after the shot had cut him in the face.

He was taken to St Barnabas Hospital where he was found to be in stable condition.

‘It could have been worse,’ Thomas told PIX11. ‘I was just scared and traumatized I wouldn’t be here to tell the story today.’

The BB gun pellet had remained in his nose until it could be removed by a specialist, according to the union.

‘This is a heinous attack on a transit worker which underscores the need for greater protections and stronger laws to keep our members safe,’ RTO Vice President Eric Loegel told Fox News.

‘We’re all very lucky this conductor is doing OK, but it easily could have been worse.

‘The union demands the assailant be brought to justice.’

The NYPD are still investigating the string of incidents and are requesting anyone with more information to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.

DailyMail.com reached out to the NYPD for comment.

Gun violence in the Bronx borough has significantly increased, with 28 percent more shootings reported this year as compared to last, according to police data.

The acts of violence have been linked to teens living in the area, which has prompted Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark to request they be charged with gun violence in criminal court.

Any person under the age of 18 who is caught with a gun has been required to report to family court, according to New York State law, which Clark is trying to change.

‘We’re working day and night to put evidence together to build a case against somebody, but we build the case it goes to Family Court and they’re not held accountable,’ Clark told ABC.

‘We’re working day and night to put evidence together to build a case against somebody, but we build the case it goes to family court and they’re not held accountable. Then what are we doing? It’s like we’re not doing our job.’

In 2019, the State Legislature had raised the age of criminal responsibility to 18.

Clark believes this has allowed young teens more freedom to tout weapons without a fear of being prosecuted.

‘When prevention doesn’t work, prosecution has to happen,’ she said.

‘And people need to know that if you make that decision to pick up a gun and just carry it around or shoot somebody or kill somebody. There are consequences.’

According to recent New York crime statistics, there has been a rise in crimes linked to felony assaults, rape and robbery.

With the rise of overall crime up to 1.9 percent, an 8.4 percent increase was recorded for felony assaults, 1.9 percent for rape and 2.9 for robbery.

{snip}