Colin Ferguson and the 1993 Long Island Rail Road Massacre
Overview
Colin Ferguson committed one of the most notorious mass shootings in New York history on December 7, 1993. Armed with a semiautomatic handgun and a large supply of ammunition, Ferguson opened fire on passengers aboard a crowded Long Island Rail Road commuter train as it approached the Merillon Avenue station in Garden City Park, Nassau County, New York. Six people were killed and 19 others suffered gunshot wounds before several passengers overpowered him.
The attack occurred during the evening rush hour as commuters were traveling east from Manhattan toward communities on Long Island. Ferguson walked through the train car firing at people seated along both sides of the aisle. When he paused to reload, surviving passengers rushed him, wrestled him to the floor and held him until an off-duty railroad police officer arrived. Ferguson was later convicted of six murders and 19 attempted murders and received a sentence calculated at 315 years and eight months to life.
Background of Colin Ferguson
Colin Ferguson was born on January 14, 1958, in Kingston, Jamaica. He grew up in a comparatively prosperous family, but his circumstances changed after the deaths of his parents. Ferguson later immigrated to the United States and lived in several locations, including California and New York.
He attended Nassau Community College and Adelphi University on Long Island. During this period, Ferguson became increasingly preoccupied with perceived racial discrimination and personal grievances. His writings and statements frequently blamed white people, government agencies, former employers and educational institutions for the difficulties in his life. He was suspended from Adelphi University after displaying disruptive behavior and making threatening remarks.
Ferguson also experienced employment problems and legal disputes. In 1988, he suffered an injury while working for the Ademco Security Group on Long Island. He received workers' compensation but continued to believe he had been treated unfairly. In 1992, he was arrested following an altercation with a woman on a New York City subway. Witnesses and acquaintances later described him as increasingly angry, suspicious and consumed by racial resentment.
Preparation for the Attack
Before the massacre, Ferguson obtained a Ruger P89 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol in California, where firearm purchasing requirements differed from those then in effect in New York. He also acquired multiple magazines and approximately 160 rounds of ammunition.
On December 7, 1993, Ferguson carried the pistol, ammunition and written notes onto a Long Island Rail Road train. Investigators later recovered papers from him containing accusations against various people and institutions. The writings included repeated references to racism and indicated that Ferguson had deliberately selected Nassau County as the location for his attack.
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