Children, NYPD officer among victims in July 4 shootings
A holiday weekend marred by violence left two officers with the New York Police Department (NYPD) injured and four children among the victims of a mass shooting at a Brooklyn family barbecue, part of a series of Independence Day shootings nationwide.
Coney Island Barbecue Shooting
In Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood, eight people—including four children—were shot Saturday night during a family gathering, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Sunday news conference.
An unidentified man dressed in black and wearing a ski mask approached the fence line of a courtyard and fired multiple rounds before fleeing, according to Tisch. Investigators found 10 shell casings and recovered a firearm with an extended magazine at the scene.
Tisch noted there was no indication of an argument or altercation prior to the gunfire. Investigators are examining whether the attack is connected to a gang-related homicide that occurred on the same block earlier in the week.
Seven of the victims are expected to survive, while a 21-year-old woman shot in the chest remained in critical condition. The injured children are 6, 7, 12, and 14 years old. No arrests had been made as of Sunday morning.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, speaking alongside police officials, called the shooting “heartbreaking” and stated there is “no place for this kind of violence” in the city.
Officers Hurt in Crown Heights Confrontation
Hours later in a separate Brooklyn incident, two NYPD officers were injured early Sunday in the Crown Heights neighborhood during a confrontation with an armed 18-year-old suspect, police said.
Officers assigned to a July 4th violence-reduction deployment spotted the man carrying a firearm on surveillance video shortly after 4 a.m. When the suspect approached an unmarked police vehicle, officers attempted to engage him. The suspect fired at the vehicle, and three officers returned fire, Tisch said.
The suspect was not hit and was arrested following a brief foot chase. A 9 mm handgun was recovered. Detective Robert Carroll was struck in the back of his ballistic vest and sustained bruising, while a second officer suffered minor injuries to his face and shoulder. Both are expected to make full recoveries.
Violent incidents were also reported at holiday gatherings in other states:
Hilton Head, South Carolina: Seven people sustained non-life-threatening injuries Saturday night near Coligny Beach. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting escalated from a physical fight between two groups in a public beach access area around 8:20 p.m. Six people were detained for questioning, and multiple firearms were recovered. The investigation continues.
Pensacola, Florida: One person was killed and five others were injured in a shooting in the city’s downtown area early Sunday. Pensacola police said the incident occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. Multiple arrests were made at the scene, and an investigation is ongoing.
Mount Clemens, Michigan: Five people, including two minors, were wounded during a block party late Saturday. Macomb County sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of gunfire near the intersection of Court and Clemens streets at approximately 11:10 p.m. All five victims were hospitalized, and authorities are continuing to investigate.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Daniel Orton and Anthony Murray.
