The Brooklyn teen who is still fighting for her life after being shot near the Stonewall Inn during Pride celebrations on Sunday night allegedly tried to shoot a man before being gunned down by her own gang with friendly fire, police officials said Monday.
According to Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, the chaotic incident was not tied to the Pride celebrations, nor is it being considered a hate crime. Instead, police reported that young alleged members of two different street gangs spotted each other amidst the revelry and went to war with one another.
Kenny reported that two groups got into a brawl that escalated into a horrific shooting, which left New Yorkers running for their lives. The 16-year-old girl shot in the chaos allegedly had attempted to shoot a male individual at point-blank range, the chief noted.
“It appears from the video that these two groups know each other. As the two groups begin to separate themselves from the large group, a female, 16 years old, weaves her way through the crowd. It is clear that she is targeting a specific male,” Kenny said. “This female then produces a nine millimeter pistol, places it inches away from that male’s head, and pulls the trigger two times. By some miracle, this male is not shot.”
While the intended target was not struck, one of the bullets traveled about 100 feet and wounded a 17-year-old girl who had traveled from New Jersey to commemorate Pride. The bullet passed through her left thigh before lodging in her right thigh.
Meanwhile, as the gunwoman fled, a member of her own crew also started firing widely, sending bullets whizzing through the crowd and striking nearby food vendor carts. However, he also, by mistake, struck the same 16-year-old who had originally opened fire. Police describe this as friendly fire and say surveillance video shows her dropping to the ground.
The bullet pierced the 16-year-old girl’s head and left brain matter on the ground. She was left for dead by her crew who all abandoned her, Kenny said.
The scene left local residents and workers shocked and appalled.
“We heard four or five shots, and then we said, ‘Is that what we thought it was?’ Then a swarm of cops came out of nowhere,” said a nearby worker, who asked not to be identified. “We saw a lot of people running.”
Both gunshot victims were rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where the older of the pair was listed in stable condition; the 16-year-old girl, however, remains in critical condition.
Later that night, Kenny reported, another 17-year-old girl was also taken to the hospital after being stabbed during the preceding brawl. Cops tied her back to the incident via surveillance footage.
“During our investigation, we discovered an additional 17-year-old victim at the hospital. We know that she was with that group based on video surveillance and from body-worn camera,“ Kenny said. “She suffered a laceration to her upper chest area that punctured her lung. She’s currently being treated at Bellevue Hospital and is not likely to die.”
Police say they are still working to identify other armed suspects and others involved in the chaos. Cops recovered the gun belonging to the 16-year-old girl.
Meanwhile, grassroots advocacy group Moms Demand Action is demanding action.
“On a weekend when New York’s streets should’ve been filled with pride and joy – they were tarnished with violence,” said Janet Goldstein, a volunteer with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Our hearts break for the two young teenagers who were shot and wounded and we urge authorities to find answers for our community soon. Every day, we’re reminded of the heartbreaking reality that gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in this country. It’s a crisis that should move all of us to act.”
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
