Mass shooting at parade in New York City

The shooting took place during Brooklyn’s West Indian Day Parade about 2.35pm on Monday (local time).

The gunman, in what was called an “intentional act,” fired at the crowd on the 300 block of Eastern Parkway as the colourful celebration of Caribbean life was underway.

“I’m crying over this, it’s so terrible. How can someone have the heart to fire a gun around so many people – babies, children, the elderly,” Jalissa Bailey said, who was near the scene.

“I know this parade has a history of violence, but things have been peaceful in recent years, and we got to hoping that there was enough security in place that maybe that was over with.”

Police said the shooting was “not random.” 

“Today one person intentionally going after a group of people tried to ruin the day for everybody,” Chief of Patrol John Chell said, the New York Post reports.

One male victim was shot in the head, while another man was shot in the torso and another was shot in the arm. Yet another was shot in the wrist.

A woman was shot in the shoulder and torso. It’s unclear where the fifth victim was shot, sources said, but two of the victims were in critical condition, police said.

The shooting happened near an area where food was being sold.

The gunman was still at large, but cops said they did not believe it was an “active shooter” type situation.

Bailey said the parade was so loud it was hard to hear the shots, even close by.

“I didn’t hear the shots because the music was so loud, but I could feel the change in the air right away. Everybody was celebrating and then suddenly people were screaming and running, and I knew something bad had happened,” she said.

“I assumed it was shots, but I couldn’t imagine it would be so many people shot – and now I’m hearing not everyone’s going to make it home from the hospital.” 

Shneeka Foster, 22, said she also knew something had happened when she saw the chaotic aftermath.

“I don’t think anyone heard the shots. I didn’t know anything happened until suddenly there were police running in from everywhere and sirens and ambulances, and people were being loaded onto ambulances on stretchers, and I’m like, what the f**k just happened?” she said.

“Whoever did this just fired his gun wherever it pointed, and one of those bullets easily could have hit me. I’m just so shaken and sad. It’s like, you’re celebrating and having a great time, and then suddenly a parade becomes like a funeral procession.”

The 57th annual celebration of Caribbean culture and heritage drew a crowd of nearly 1 million attendees decked out in green, red and yellow hues.

The boisterous and celebratory affair saw revellers of all ages marching along the parade’s Crown Heights route, sporting everything from boas and tiaras and hot pants and body paint. The parade continued after the shooting and was set to end at around 6pm.

“The parade means so much to me because Panama is a big part of my identity,” said Catherine Paulino, 23, of Crown Heights, who served as the reigning beauty queen at the Miss Panamanian Parade 2023.

“I love that everybody from different cultures can come together and celebrate as a single community.”

A “strong police presence” — including screenings via 300 handheld metal detectors — was put in place at Monday’s parade because of past violence at the event, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said earlier this week.

At least two people were shot and a third person was slashed in the arm along the West Indian Day parade route last year.

The related J’Ouvert celebration, which comes just before the West Indian Parade, also has seen violence.

In 2015 Gov Andrew Cuomo aide Carey Gabay was fatally shot in the head getting caught in gang crossfire in Crown Heights.

The next year, two others were shot dead: 22-year-old Tiarah Poyau, a St. John’s University student, died after being struck in the eye, and 17-year-old Tyreke Borel, was shot in the chest.

This story was published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission