Long Island Rail Road shooting

1993 Long Island Railroad shooting
The Merillon Avenue station (pictured in 2011) where the shooting occurred
LocationMerillon Avenue, Garden City Park, New York, U.S.
DateDecember 7, 1993 (1993-12-07) (EST)
TargetLong Island Rail Road (LIRR) commuters
Attack type
Mass shooting, mass murder, hate crime
Weapons9mm Ruger P89
Deaths6
Injured21 (19 by gunfire)
PerpetratorColin Ferguson
MotiveAnti-white racism
Verdict
Convictions
SentenceSix consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 165+23 years

On December 7, 1993, a mass shooting occurred aboard a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train in Garden City Park, New York, United States. As the train arrived at the Merillon Avenue station, passenger Colin Ferguson began firing at other passengers with a semi-automatic pistol. Six of the victims were killed and nineteen others were wounded before Ferguson was tackled and held down by other passengers on the train.

Ferguson's trial was noted for some unusual developments, including him dismissing his defense counsel, insisting on representing himself and questioning his victims on the stand. He was convicted in February 1995 on six counts of murder and nineteen counts of attempted murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is currently incarcerated at Mid-State Correctional Facility, with an earliest possible release date of August 6, 2309.