A celebration turned into a scene of violence in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn on Saturday night when a gunman opened fire on a family barbecue. According to New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the incident occurred at approximately 10:35 p.m. at a high-rise apartment complex near Surf Avenue. An unidentified suspect, described as wearing all black clothing and a black ski mask, approached the courtyard fence and fired multiple shots before fleeing the area on foot.
Police reported that eight individuals sustained gunshot wounds during the attack. The victims included four boys aged 6, 7, 12, and 14, two women aged 21 and 25, and two men aged 33 and 37. Medical assessments confirmed that a 21-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man were struck in the chest. The 6-year-old child sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen, while the three older boys suffered injuries to their legs or thighs. Currently, the 21-year-old woman remains in critical condition, while the other seven victims are reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators recovered a TEC-9-style firearm equipped with an extended magazine at the scene, along with 10 discharged shell casings. While a motive for the shooting remains unconfirmed and no arrests have been made, authorities have not released the names of the victims or confirmed a motive for the shooting, but Commissioner Tisch noted that there was no indication of any argument or altercation at the barbecue before the shooting. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the violence, stating that such acts have no place in the city and pledging to use every available tool to combat them.
In a separate incident early Sunday morning in the Crown Heights neighborhood, an NYPD detective was shot while confronting an armed 18-year-old suspect who approached an unmarked police vehicle. The detective was struck in the back of his ballistic vest and did not suffer serious injuries. A second officer sustained contusions to the face and shoulder during the encounter. The suspect was eventually disarmed, Tasered, and taken into custody by law enforcement officers.
