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Prior to the incident, Adams and another man allegedly exchanged words at 148th Street and Jamaica Avenue.
By Forum Staff
A Bronx man has been charged for allegedly shooting into an MTA bus, striking two passengers and shattering the front windshield Thursday morning in Jamaica, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
Melvin Adams, 43, was arraigned Friday morning on a criminal complaint charging him with assault in the first degree, attempted assault in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, three counts of assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree and criminal possession of a firearm.
According to the charges, Adams was on 148th Street and Jamaica Avenue last Thursday at approximately 8:55 a.m. when he and a stranger walking by and had a heated exchange of words. Adams walked across the street and allegedly was observed crouching down and then reaching into a backpack. The defendant allegedly pulled out a black pistol, point it towards the man on the street he’d been arguing with and fire three shots.
File Photo
“We can’t live in a world where a petty dispute on the street between strangers end ups with innocent people getting shot at on a city bus,” DA Katz said.
According to the criminal complaint, a 66-year-old passenger on the MTA Q8 bus saw the windshield of the vehicle shatter and immediately felt pain in his shoulder. The victim looked down and realized he was bleeding from a laceration to his shoulder. This man was immediately transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Additionally, a second passenger on the bus also felt pain in his arm and hand immediately after hearing the gunshots. The 20-year-old observed blood on his hand. He, too, was taken to a nearby hospital and was treated for a shattered bone in his hand from a bullet fragment that remains in his hand.
A City police officer at the location also allegedly observed the defendant firing a pistol, and then saw Adams begin to walk quickly down the street away from the scene. The officer apprehended Adams with the backpack, and allegedly recovered a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol with one round in the chamber and eleven rounds of ammunition in the magazine. An additional magazine with 15 rounds of ammunition was also allegedly recovered from the backpack, Katz noted.
“We can’t live in a world where a petty dispute on the street between strangers end ups with innocent people getting shot at on a city bus,” the DA added.
If convicted, Adams faces up to 25 years in prison.
