What did John Rote do? Arrest of subway vigilante sparks controversy online 

On the night of November 7, around 9.15 pm local time, John Rote opened fire at a mugger in front of the 49th Street N, R, W subway station near Times Square. As per the New York Post, the mugger, identified as Matthew Roesch, demanded money from a 40-year-old woman as he held the emergency gate open for her near the subway station.

However, subway vigilante John Rote witnessed the crime and asked Matthew Roesch to “Get away from her!” When the latter refused to comply, Rote pulled out his gun from his backpack and fired a few rounds down the platform to scare the mugger away.

The following afternoon, John Rote was arrested from his office on Varick Street. He surrendered without trouble and later confessed at the police station that he pulled the trigger of his revolver and tossed it in the East River following the incident.

Roesch was also taken into custody on Tuesday (November 7) night on attempted robbery charges. Rote’s arrest has triggered controversy online, with netizens expressing doubts about the competence of New York law enforcement, with many stating that the arrest was unjustified.

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“NY keeps showing us that if you see something, do nothing”: Twitteratti reacts to the arrest of subway vigilante John Rote

On Tuesday night, 43-year-old Queens resident John Rote witnessed a homeless man named Matthew Roesch trying to mug a 40-year-old woman exiting the 49th Street subway station in New York City around 9.15 pm local time.

As per witnesses and the police statements, the 49-year-old mugger blocked the woman’s way and asked for money from her. When she tried to walk away, he reportedly threatened:

“If you don’t give me a dollar, I’m going to take your purse.”

When she further refused, Roesch allegedly started screaming at his victim, which is when John Rote warned the mugger to leave the woman alone. Rote then reached out for his gun and fired a couple of shots.

On Wednesday afternoon, John Rote was taken into police custody from his office, Panavision, known for renting camera and filmmaking equipment, as per the New York Post. Later at the precinct, the subway vigilante confessed to firing his gun, tossing it away in Manhattan’s East River, and fleeing the scene. Fortunately, nobody was injured at the scene.

In the wake of Rote’s arrest, Twitteratti has questioned the efficiency of New York law enforcement in providing security to New Yorkers and has also expressed their dismay at Rote’s arrest. Here are some of the reactions from the comment section of @CollinRugg:

It is important to note that John Rote is currently facing three and a half years of prison time if convicted, on charges of criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment, and menacing for the caught-on-camera shooting, as per New York Police Department’s statement to the New York Post.

Rote’s lawyer, Marie Calvert-Kilbane, also told The Post that her client legally purchased the gun over a decade back and had a license to carry it. She also said that he was a “concerned” citizen and was just looking out for a fellow New Yorker.

During Thursday’s hearing at the Manhattan Criminal Court, Calvert-Kilbane of New York County Defender Services argued:

“This was not someone who was buying [guns] on the street.”

She also stated that her client should not be convicted as he had no criminal record and no history of mental illnesses. Rote’s attorney also pleaded not to place the bail higher than $2,000 as he wouldn’t be able to afford it, and that his family lived in West Virginia, meaning nobody could help him with the fine either.

However, the judge posted the bail at $10,000 because the charges against him were serious and he may be a flight risk, considering his out-of-state connections. A grand jury is set to review the case on November 14.

John Rote is a lead inventory and logistics technician at Panavision, where he has worked for 17 years, as per his LinkedIn profile. It also states that he is a Fairmont State University alumnus in West Virginia, from where he graduated in 2005 with an applied science degree.

Meanwhile, the mugger, Matthew Roesch, is facing up to seven years in jail for third-degree attempted robbery. As per The Post, he has a criminal record and was previously arrested for illegally hand-collecting and selling MetroCard swipes.

He was released on supervision on Thursday after being arraigned at the same court as Rote. There, he claimed that one of the bullets allegedly “ricocheted” off him. His next court date is scheduled for December 20.