Multiple people were shot and injured at the 36th Street subway station in Sunset Park, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, on Tuesday, April 12, at approximately 8:30 a.m. The NYPD initially reported that several undetonated devices were found at the scene but later clarified that there were no active explosives. What were believed to be devices “may just be debris,” according to reporting from NBC New York.

Public Safety Associate Vice President Robert Fitzer sent an advisory email to the Fordham community alerting commuters that R, D, N train service in Brooklyn was suspended.

Bob Howe, vice president for communications, said that contacting commuters from Brooklyn would be difficult as it would require checking the addresses and commuter routes of thousands of students, faculty and staff who were near the location of the shooting.

“We will of course offer any possible assistance to members of the campus community who need it because of the incident (and resulting transit disruptions), but there is no practical way to proactively identify individuals who might be affected by the incident,” he said.

The university has yet to confirm whether any Fordham personnel were involved in the incident.

On Tuesday evening, Fordham University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., released a statement encouraging the Fordham community to keep those affected by the attack in their prayers. 

“On its face, the vile attack seems unhinged and unprovoked,” he said. “I hope the individual responsible is safely apprehended soon.”

McShane stated that the university has yet to confirm whether any Fordham personnel were involved in the incident and that Public Safety will keep the university community informed of any significant developments.

The email also included a list of Fordham offices for those in need of assistance, such as Counseling and Psychological Services, Campus Ministry, University Health Services, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, and Public Safety. 

An Instagram account, @fordhampassfail, released a statement regarding Fordham’s response to the subway shooting and discussed the absence policy. 

“We as students deserve a blanket policy for all classes to override an absence mark from any professors for any absences today,” the owner of the account said. “This is common sense. This is Cura Personalis.” 

At a news conference Tuesday night, the NYPD named Frank R. James, 62, as a person of interest in the shooting, according to NBC New York. James rented a U-Haul van from Philadelphia that contained the gun used to fire 33 rounds at the scene. The keys to the U-Haul van were found in the Sunset Park neighborhood in Brooklyn. 

Any witnesses are asked to call @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS.

“We are sick and tired of reading headlines about crime,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “It has to stop.”

Hochul added that this person is considered dangerous and asked New York citizens to stay vigilant and alert. 

New York City has activated its Unified Victim Identification System (UVIS), according to Bob Howe. The system helps identify victims in major catastrophes. Individuals are encouraged to call NYC’s non-emergency service at 311 if they are unable to reach someone who was impacted by the police activity at the scene. 

The NYPD is conducting an investigation into the incident and is seeking a suspect in a green worker’s vest and gas mask. Any witnesses are asked to call @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS. The university remains open for classes.