Man shot in head at Brooklyn playground marred by gun violence in last four weeks: cops

Brooklyn detectives are looking for the suspect who shot and critically wounded a man at a playground on Wednesday evening.

Police said the violence erupted at about 5:40 p.m. on Oct. 16 near the corner of East 81st Street and Flatlands Avenue in Canarsie, at the Bildersee Playground.

Officers from the 69th Precinct, in responding to a 911 call about the shooting, found the 18-year-old male victim with a gunshot wound to his head. EMS rushed him to Brookdale University Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and was listed in critical condition.

An 18 year old man is in critical condition following a shooting at East 81 Street and Flatlands Avenue in Canarsie, Brooklyn on Oct. 16, 2024.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

The shooting occurred less than a month after two teens were shot on the opposite end of Bildersee Playground, East 81st Street and Avenue J, in a separate incident.

Police said the youths, both 17 years of age, recovered after undergoing treatment at Brookdale Hospital. The gun violence also briefly sparked a lockdown at nearby schools.

Local residents, after Wednesday’s shooting, said the outbursts left them alarmed.

“I don’t know what these young people are fighting over. It isn’t worth life or jail time,” one resident said.

Another resident remarked that they refused “to walk on the side of the school when returning home. There are a lot of youths there and it is unsettling.”

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

So far, no arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation. As of Thursday morning, police sources have yet to provide a possible motive for the shooting, or a description of the suspect.

Anyone with information regarding Wednesday’s shooting can 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.

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