West Babylon Man Shot To Death At LIRR Station

RONKONKOMA, NY — A West Babylon man was shot to death aboard a Penn Station-bound Long Island Rail Road train in Ronkonkoma early on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Yusef Staine was shot by a man who "appeared to be traveling" with him while he was on board a westbound train that was parked at the station at about 1:45 a.m., Suffolk police said.

Staine, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting took place on the 1:51 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station, but the train had not yet begun to travel, and "a male was seen running from the train," according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials.

Witnesses reported that the male had been wearing a hoodie, ABC7 reporter Kristin Thorne reported.

Staine's mother, Pamela Usher, told Thorne: "He was killed, and we need the person who did it to come forward."

No one else was injured in the shooting, police said.

Homicide chief Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer told Newsday that investigators do not believe the shooting is gang-related.

"It's early in the investigation but all we know is that the two people appear to be traveling together," he added.

Beyrer told reporters the shooting was not random.

"No other passengers were in danger," he said. "There were only two or three other passengers on the train, they were not in danger. This appears to be an isolated event. It does not appear to have any connection to any other incidents in the past."

Staine's body still remained on the train, which was at the station, as of 10 a.m. when MTA and Suffolk County police conducted a joint investigation, MTA officials said.

The train in which Staine was shot was taken out of service, and an overnight eastbound train to Ronkonkoma was also taken out of service at Central Islip.

Riders who took the Ronkonkoma Branch experienced five to-10 minute delays as they made their morning commute.

No one has been apprehended in connection with the shooting, MTA officials said.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392, or Crime Stoppers, a confidential police hotline, at 1-800-220-TIPS.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.