One man was killed and five others were wounded in overnight gun violence in both Brooklyn and the Bronx between Wednesday and Thursday, police officials said.
It continued a horrific trend of gun violence that began Tuesday night into Wednesday, when three people were killed in shootings in Brooklyn and the Bronx, and a fourth man took his own life in the back of a department store in Flatbush.
Detectives have been seeing more shootings lately as gunmen have become more brazen, many committing tit-for-tat violence, some related to gang-related disputes. Other shootings, law enforcement sources said, are merely the result of violent personal disputes that end abruptly with one combatant producing a gun.
Detectives have been advising residents to be alert to these incidents as innocent bystanders have been shot in some cases.
On Aug. 12, a 32-year-old man was shot in broad daylight in Brownsville’s Tilden Houses in front of numerous witnesses.
In the latest homicide, a 29-year-old man was shot multiple times in the chest at about 12:19 a.m. Thursday morning while sitting in his Volvo in front of 15 Butler Place at Plaza Street, a block from Grand Army Plaza.
Officers from the 77th Precinct found that the victim stumbled out of his auto, ran about a block and collapsed in a pool of blood.
Paramedics rushed the victim to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, but he could not be saved.
Streets around Butler Place and Plaza Street were closed to traffic all morning as police gathered spent shells and other evidence. Horrified onlookers watched as firefighters hosed down a large pool of blood left from the as-yet-unidentified victim.
Here’s a rundown of the other shootings from overnight:
Aug. 12, 8:19 p.m. – Two were shot after a dispute in front of 651 East 82nd St. in Canarsie, Brooklyn, an area where the 69th Precinct has a heavy police presence because of past shooting incidents.
A 20-year-old was shot in the shoulder and a 16-year-old boy was shot in the forearm after a dispute with a male black in a white t-shirt at the location.
Both were taken to Brookdale Hospital, where both were in stable condition and “highly uncooperative” with investigators.
Aug. 12, 10:04 p.m. – A man was shot in the leg after a dispute in front of 105 East 95th St. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Cops from the 67th Precinct said the victim was taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition.
Aug. 13, 3:53 a.m. – A 22-year-old man was shot in the right leg after a confrontation in front of 2130 Tiebout Ave. in Fordham Heights, Bronx. Officers from the 46th Precinct found the man on the ground and EMS removed him to Lincoln Hospital in stable condition.
Witnesses described the suspect as a Black man standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a skinny build, who wore a mask, a black hooded sweatshirt and all black clothing.
Aug. 13, 8 a.m. – A man was shot in the leg and thigh after a dispute over money at the corner of 1217 Herkimer St. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The victim was treated at Interfaith Medical Center. Cops described the suspect is a Black man standing about 6 feet tall, who was last seen fleeing in a green Jeep.
The blame game
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea continue blame a “perfect storm” of events for the rising crime rate, including the closing of courts, high unemployment among young people causing anger and frustration, the closing of schools and entertainment venues, the release of Rikers Island detainees, bail reform measures, and COVID-19 which has made seeking gunmen more difficult as everyone is wearing a mask.
Others, however, blame the mayor for not backing police during the mass demonstrations that resulting in budget cuts to the NYPD and an unwillingness by police officers to get more involved in crime-fighting for fear of being prosecuted for doing the “wrong thing in making arrests.”
The fears became stronger after the City Council passed chokehold legislation that union officials and the commissioner claim went “too far and put officers at risk of prosecution.”
Police seeking information on shooting
Meanwhile, the NYPD provided photos and video of a shooting that occurred on Aug. 9 at 1241 Viele Avenue in the Bronx in which an 18-year-old girl was shot in the leg by a group of men.
Police said the victim was struck when a member of the group, during an argument, pulled out a gun and began firing.
Detectives say three unidentified males exited a gray Nissan four-door sedan with black bumpers, with one man displaying a firearm and firing six shots, before fleeing the location.
Police said the gunman wore a black t-shirt, black shorts, a dark baseball cap and white sneakers. The second suspect was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and yellow ski mask, while the third man was last seen wearing white tank top; fourth male last seen wearing white t-shirt, long pants, white sneakers, and a motorcycle helmet.
Surveillance video and photos of the unidentified individuals, taken from the incident location, are attached and available at DCPI.
Anyone with information in regard to this or any other shooting is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips online at nypdcrimestoppers.com, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
