New York Will Test Gun-Detecting Technology in Subway System, Mayor Says

Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced that New York City planned to test technology to detect guns in its subway system as officials seek to make transit riders feel safe in the wake of a deadly shoving attack earlier in the week.

The initiative is several months away from starting. The announcement marked the start of a required 90-day waiting period during which the public can weigh in on the new technology and its proposed use. Mayor Adams said city officials posted online on Thursday the policies that would govern the use of the new surveillance equipment.

The mayor also announced that the city would soon begin hiring clinicians as part of a $20 million investment from the state to deploy teams of mental health workers in the subway system.

The technology pilot will start out in a few stations, Mr. Adams said. “Random acts of violence play on the psyche of New York,” Mr. Adams said. “We are going to evolve in a way to ensure that technology becomes part of the public safety apparatus.”

The announcement of the new initiative, which is among the latest attempts by lawmakers and transit officials to address growing concerns about safety throughout the subway system, comes days after a man was shoved in front of a train in East Harlem and killed. The man charged in the attack, Carlton McPherson, 24, had a history of committing violent acts against others and his family said he struggled with mental illness.

This is a developing story and will be updated.