NYPD Hunts Midtown Subway Gunman as Victim Darryl Rodriguez Is Mourned

Darryl Rodriguez, a 26-year-old security guard and twin from the Bronx, was fatally shot in the chest during an argument on the northbound E train platform at the 53rd Street–Seventh Avenue station in Midtown Manhattan around 12:20 p.m. on Saturday October 17, 2026. Bystanders described chaos; a bystander administered CPR before medics arrived. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at hospital. On October 19, police continued searching for the suspect, last seen wearing red clothing, a black vest and a face mask, with no arrests made. Rodriguez's twin brother serves in the Marine Corps in Texas; his father was too distressed to speak publicly. His death reignited widespread fear about subway safety. Transit riders and advocates, including Passengers United president Charlton D'Souza, used the occasion to call for a face-covering ban at subway fare readers. The MTA did not endorse the proposal, noting instead its support for state legislation barring concealed firearms underground. NYPD data showed six subway killings in 2026 through that date, up from four at the same point in 2025, despite record gun arrests on the transit system.