BROOKLYN, NEW YORK / Content Syndication Services / – Gunfire wounded eight people, including four children, during a Fourth of July cookout in Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood, police said. The shooting happened late Saturday in a courtyard near the Coney Island boardwalk. New York Police Department officials said the victims included four boys, ages 6, 7, 12 and 14, along with four adults.
Police said the injured adults included two women, ages 21 and 25, and two men, ages 33 and 37. A 21-year-old woman was listed in critical condition after being struck in the chest. The other seven victims were stable and expected to survive, according to police. The youngest child suffered a stomach wound, while other children had leg wounds.
Officers responded after reports of multiple people shot near the residential courtyard, where a family gathering was taking place. Police said a masked male dressed in black approached the fence line, fired several rounds into the courtyard and fled on foot. Officials said they had no report of an argument or disturbance at the cookout before the shooting.
Victims treated after holiday shooting
Emergency crews took the victims to area hospitals after officers reached the scene. Police recovered a firearm and shell casings near the location, according to details released by officials. No arrest had been announced by Sunday, and investigators had not released a motive. Police also had not identified the person sought in the shooting.
The attack occurred as large crowds gathered in Coney Island for Independence Day events. The neighborhood had drawn visitors for beach activities, fireworks and holiday gatherings. The shooting took place about a block from the boardwalk and near an area that had seen heavy foot traffic earlier in the day. Police secured the scene as investigators collected evidence.
Investigation continues in Coney Island
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the Coney Island shooting on Sunday and said city officials were focused on the victims and the investigation. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the shooting struck a family barbecue and left children among the wounded. The officials did not announce a suspect’s name or provide a confirmed motive.
The case remains under investigation by the NYPD as detectives review evidence from the scene and seek the person who opened fire. The shooting added to public safety concerns during a crowded holiday weekend in New York City. Police have asked anyone with information about the Coney Island shooting to contact investigators.