After serving 15 years in a New York state jail, 33-year-old Devon Simmons was freed Thursday morning only to be shot 15 minutes later.

According to the Associated Press, Simmons was released from the medium-security Otisville state prison in Orange County around 10 am on Thursday and given a train ticket for a trip to a halfway house in Manhattan. However, while on his way to the train station, he accepted a ride from a man driving a white Hyundai with Illinois license plates. Shortly thereafter, the car stopped and another man jumped out of the trunk and fired two shots at Simmons.

Simmons managed to escape and stumbled to the Metro-North station in Otisville, where he was assisted by workers who called 911.

"He got out of the vehicle and stumbled over to the train station," where people came to his aid, said police spokesman Trooper Steven Nevel, reports Reuters.

He was then taken to West­chester Medical Center where he has been listed as in stable condition.

The victim, who served time for criminal sale of a controlled substance, weapons and assault, identified the shooter as Jerome A. Mack. According to law officials, Mack had a vendetta against Simmons for snitching on him, reports The New York Post.

Police spotted and arrested Mack and the driver of the vehicle, 35-year-old Edgar Wilson, on Manhattan's Upper East Side Thursday evening.

They have both charged with the ambush shooting of the newly freed man. Mack and Edgar have also been placed in jail on attempted murder charges.

There is no word on whether or not they have lawyers.

Although local schools in the district were locked down after the shooting, law enforcement officials say that there is no reason for locals to be concerned. The schools have been reopened.