A fatal shooting on a Brooklyn subway platform left one man dead during Tuesday’s rush-hour commute. New York City police are scheduled to question a retired corrections officer on Wednesday about his recollection of the incident.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Willie Groomes was released Tuesday night into the custody of his lawyer. The 69-year-old retired correction officer was scheduled to return to the New York Police Department’s 84th precinct for further questions regarding the death of Gilbert Drogheo. Joschelyn Evering, Drogheo’s traveling companion, was questioned at the Borough Hall subway station after the shooting.
Groomes told police he was arguing with two men that were on the subway train when he boarded it that evening around 6:30 p.m. He stated that the men had said something to him as he walked past them on the train and then pushed him into an empty seat.
NBC New York reported that the three men exited one stop later. As the men started fighting, Groomes identified himself as an officer. He allegedly told Drogheo and Evering that they would be arrested.
As the two men ran away, Groomes followed. He and Drogheo began fighting again and it was then that Groomes, who was licensed to carry a 9mm handgun, shot Drogheo in the abdomen.
Drogheo, 32, was taken to Brooklyn Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead. Groomes and Evering remained at the scene unharmed.
Norman Seabrook, the president of the city’s Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association told NBC New York on Wednesday that they believed the retired officer was acting in self-defense. He stated that if the Brooklyn district attorney convened a grand jury to hear evidence in the case, the union would stand behind the retired officer.
No charges had been filed against Groomes in connection with the shooting as of Wednesday afternoon. Evering, 29, was arrested later on unrelated charges.
