Teen arrested after MTA subway conductor is shot in face with Gel Blaster pellet gun: police
A 16-year-old teen was arrested on Saturday after an incident that injured an MTA employee.
It happened around 1:30 p.m. at the Borough Hall train station in downtown Brooklyn.
Police say a 16-year-old discharged a Gel Blaster pellet gun at an MTA subway train conductor, striking her in the face.
The 44-year-old victim, who was operating the southbound 5 train at the time of the attack, was taken to NYU Langone Health Cobble Hill.
She is in stable condition.
In a statement about the incident, NYC Transit President Richard Davey said:
"It is fortunate this reckless, senseless and outrageous attack didn't leave a transit worker seriously injured. Targeting a conductor who's just trying to get New Yorkers where they need to go is a serious crime and thanks to a quick arrest by the NYPD, prosecutors can now deliver maximum justice."
The teen was taken into custody and charged with assault.
The gel blaster pellet guns, which is sold by several companies online and in stores, have been at the center of several incidents over the past year.
Just last year, they were the subject of a disturbing trend on TikTok, called the "Orbeez Challenge," which saw teens shooting water beads at people with a pellet gun.
In July, a "bead blaster," which shoots gel water beads propelled by a spring-loaded air pump, led to a fatal shooting on the Cross Bronx Expressway.
NYPD has issued a warning against the use of air rifles, which are illegal in the city.
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