A 19-year-old man from Florida has been taken into custody and accused of making threats to carry out a mass shooting on a New York subway during the Thanksgiving weekend. The suspect, identified as Robert Trout III, allegedly uploaded a video on his Instagram account, in which he explicitly mentioned his intention to travel to New York and “create chaos on the subway.”
During the video, prosecutors claim that Trout brandished multiple firearms, including two semi-automatic guns equipped with extended clips. In the footage, Trout disturbingly mentioned, “If you’re from New York City, do not take the train on Thursday evening,” while displaying a clip containing 60 bullets and stating, “60 shots – that’s 60 people dead.”
After being arrested on November 22, Trout made an appearance in federal court in Tampa, Florida on Friday. The court ordered him to be detained until further proceedings take place. If found guilty, Trout could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison.
On Sunday, MTA spokesperson Joana Flores released a statement that “there were no specific credible threats to New York City, including to the transit system.” She expressed gratitude to the NYPD and federal law enforcement authorities for their diligent work in ensuring the safety of New Yorkers.
The incident serves as a reminder that continuous efforts are being made to address potential threats and ensure the security of public transportation systems nationwide.
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