New York City Man Charged In Connection With Three-Day Crime Spree, Including Subway Shooting And Bank Robberies

DOJ Press

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that DAMON BAILEY was arrested yesterday at Union Square subway station, one day after allegedly shooting a fellow train rider during rush hour at that station.  Today BAILEY was charged in a criminal Complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the subway shooting and an attempted deli robbery, with robbing two banks in Manhattan at gunpoint on October 25, 2021 and October 26, 2021, and with brandishing a firearm in connection with those bank robberies.  BAILEY was presented today in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, during a brazen multiday armed robbery spree, Damon Bailey shot a fellow passenger on a crowded subway.  We commend the extraordinary work of our law enforcement partners who swiftly connected the many dots and safely apprehended the suspect.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As we allege today, Mr. Bailey engaged in a gun and violent crime spree spanning several days.  In so doing, he terrorized several of our neighbors and deprived them of their right to feel safe as they live their lives.  The swift action taken today by the FBI/NYPD Joint Violent Crimes Task Force should serve as a reminder to all that we will not tolerate this type of behavior in our city.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “As alleged, this individual, a day after committing a shooting in a subway, walked away from a Manhattan bank with a satchel of cash and three firearms – but thanks to NYPD officers, this crime spree came to an abrupt end. The NYPD, along with our federal partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, will continue to work to ensure that this person is brought to justice for the series of violent crimes he is charged with.”


As alleged in the Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:


Over the course of three days, BAILEY committed two gunpoint robberies in Manhattan and attempted to commit two others.  On October 24, 2021, BAILEY flashed a firearm in his waistband and demanded money from a customer in a deli near Grand Central Station.  On October 25, BAILEY robbed a bank at gunpoint in lower Manhattan and, approximately ten minutes later, attempted to rob a victim on the subway and then shot the victim as the train pulled into Union Square station at rush hour.  On October 26, BAILEY robbed a second bank at gunpoint, in Chelsea.  In each of the robberies, BAILEY carried a light gray backpack and wore sneakers with a distinctive green toe box and white trim.

After the second robbery, BAILEY again got on the subway, but this time he was apprehended and arrested when he arrived at Union Square station.  Based on the proximity of the second bank to the NQR subway line, NYPD officers proceeded to a southbound platform at Union Square subway station and held an incoming train to conduct a search of the train cars for a person matching the description of the robber.  An officer found BAILEY in one of the train cars, wearing a light gray backpack and sneakers with a green toe box and white trim.  Upon his arrest, three firearms—two semiautomatic pistols and one revolver—were found inside his backpack.

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BAILEY, 38, is charged with two counts of bank robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of being a felon in possession of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which firearm was brandished, which carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years in prison consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, up to life in prison. 

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding, coordinated investigative work of the FBI and NYPD.

This case is being handle by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Jane Y. Chong is in charge of the prosecution.     

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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