On Tuesday, April 12, a man set off smoke bombs and then shot people on a crowded subway train in Brooklyn, specifically in the Sunset Park neighborhood, the 36th Street station on the N train.

New York City has experienced many frightening things over the years: the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center, bombs detonated near the Stock Exchange in 1920, the Draft Riots of 1863, outbreaks of various diseases, and more. Yet New York and its citizens keep going on, living their lives and recuperating. 

Yesterday's violent attack is certainly frightening; I'm relieved that although at least 29 people were wounded, no one has died. This train line is heavily used, and it travels along the western section of Brooklyn. Businesses and schools in the area were impacted and students had to shelter in place. The N train (which runs express) as well as a few other local train lines were halted for several hours. The whole city was impacted.

But we New Yorkers continue with our lives. What else can we do?

We're not running away. 

We ponder, "Why this and why us?" We ponder why someone would be evil and sick enough to perpetrate such a horrible crime, against people he didn't know. We are scared because too many people have access to guns and other weapons when they have malevolent agendas.

I realize some people are strongly pro-gun, but when a horrific crime such as this one occurs, or at a high school in Florida or an elementary school in Connecticut, many of us grow frustrated with the wide availability of guns and ammo for people who are clearly mentally unfit for owning these.

And why don't our governments, at various levels, spend more money upgrading the safety features of mass transit?

I am relieved that my own family was not impacted directly by this evil attack, but I do feel like these N train commuters are part of my greater family, my Brooklyn community. This crime occurred near Sunset Park High School, where I worked for a few days some years back as a teacher. (I was with other teachers, marking NY State social studies exams.) I was a passenger on an N train last week. And why should people have to fear for their lives each time they travel on a train? Why must we be wary of strangers all the time?

We should all strive to make this a better world, not a fearful world.