The man accused of shooting a fellow passenger aboard a Q train last month has been indicted on murder charges, the Manhattan District Attorney announced Wednesday.
Andrew Abdullah, 25, was charged with second degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the May 22nd shooting of Daniel Enriquez, a Goldman Sachs employee who was on his way to brunch.
Prosecutors said Abdullah was pacing around the Q train when he pulled out a pistol and, unprovoked, fired a single shot into Enriquez’s chest as they passed over the Manhattan Bridge. He then told passengers “to put away their cell phones, and that they would all be getting off at the next stop,” according to court documents.
The suspect fled the train at Canal Street, as medics worked to treat Enriquez, who was pronounced dead of blood loss later that day. Abdullah was arrested 48 hours later after turning himself in to police – and has been held without bail since.
“Daniel Enriquez’s vibrant life was brutally cut short in a flash of violence that shocked our city,” DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
“My heart goes out to Mr. Enriquez’s loved ones as they continue to mourn the death of a cherished son, brother, partner, and so much more,” he continued. “I want to assure them – and all New Yorkers – that we will stop at nothing to ensure accountability for this terrible crime, and to make sure our subways are safe for all.”
Abdullah is being represented by the Legal Aid Society which raised questions about the strength of the DA's evidence.
“We are still waiting on discovery from the District Attorney’s Office, including information on the five witnesses who could not identify Mr. Abdullah during a police lineup, as well as information on one of the primary witnesses who was present following the incident,” said Kristin Bruan, an attorney with Legal Aid's homicide defense task force.
Records show Abdullah has previous arrests for robbery, weapons possession, and domestic violence, with multiple cases still pending.
The shooting came little more than a month after 10 people were shot aboard an R train in Brooklyn — a rare instance of mass violence within the transit system — but one of a series of high-profile incidents that have left New Yorkers increasingly concerned about crime on the subways.
This story has been updated with comment from Abdullah's attorney.