Teen shot on Queens A train during rush hour; two in custody

QUEENS - A teenager was shot during the evening rush hour on a subway train in Queens, sending panicked riders scrambling for safety, police said.

The 15-year-old boy was shot in the torso while riding a Manhattan-bound A train just after 6 p.m. as it approached the Liberty Avenue and 80th Street station in Ozone Park, according to the NYPD. 

He was taken toa nearby hospital and is listed in stable condition.

Teens taken into custody

Two other teenagers were taken into custody and are being questioned as persons of interest, but no charges have been filed as of Tuesday, police said.

Investigators have also released a photo of an individual they believe may be connected to the shooting and are asking for the public’s help in identifying the person.

The gunfire erupted on a crowded train at the height of the evening commute, triggering chaos inside the subway car.

"Everybody got nervous. We all jumped onto the floor and stayed below," one witness said. "Some people ran out … but I stayed below."

Police said no other injuries were reported.

Subway service in parts of South Queens was temporarily suspended as officers searched the area near the 80th Street station for evidence.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called the shooting "a tragedy for the city of New York" and emphasized the need to get guns off the streets, but declined to comment further on the investigation.

NYC transit crime stats

By the numbers:

According to NYPD data, transit crime citywide has decreased 3.5% so far this year. In the 106th Precinct, however, transit incidents have increased to five so far this year, compared with four at the same time last year.

The investigation remains ongoing, and police are still working to determine what led up to the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.