Teen Charged In Bryant Park Shooting Curses At Reporters
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The 16-year-old boy accused of opening fire at the Bryant Park ice skating rink over the weekend cursed at reporters as he was escorted police out of the Midtown South Precinct police station Monday night.
Police spent much of the day continuing to question Corey Dunton of the Bronx, one day after his arrest. Witnesses also were brought in to identify the accused gunman, CBS 2's Kathryn Brown reported.
The teen is charged as an adult with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Saturday night's shooting. He was scheduled to be arraigned Monday night.
Teen Charged In Bryant Park Shooting Expected To Be Arraigned
Investigators said Dunton came to Bryant Park looking for trouble, reportedly posting on social media that he was headed to the skating rink with an "amp" -- which is slang for a gun, Brown reported.
Police said Dunton opened fire at the park's ice skating rink around 11 p.m. after he demanded a 20-year-old man give up his $600 Marmot coat.
When the man refused, investigators said Dunton left the skating rink, returned with a gun and fired several shots into the crowd.
"He actually clears people away from the line of fire, and he fires, I believe, a total of eight shots at the individual," Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
The sound of gunfire triggered panic among the crowd in the packed park.
"All of a sudden, you heard bop, bop, bop," Frank Franchi said, "No one knew what was going on. It was chaos."
The intended target was shot once in the arm, but not seriously injured, Brown reported.
A 14-year-old bystander, identified as Adonis Mera, was shot in the back and family members said it's possible he may never walk again.
Cell phone video captured paramedics treating Mera on the ice. The teen was wheeled into an ambulance with his skates still on.
Mera's family has been unnerved by the uncertainty surrounding his condition, CBS 2's Janelle Burrell reported.
"We still know nothing yet," his brother Jorge Arias said.
"It's hard," he added. "That's my little baby brother."
Arias and another brother went to see Mera at Bellevue and been hoping for an update from doctors.
Friends and family are clinging to their faith, hoping that he will be able to use his legs again.
"I'm going to tell his mother to pray a lot and maybe father God will make a miracle for him,"Xiorama Abraham said.
Hours after the shooting, as police closed in on his Bronx apartment Sunday morning, Dunton posted on Facebook, "FEDS AT MY DOOR IM GOIN OUT WITH A BANG!!!!!!! TAKE MY SOUL" and FEDS TRIEN [sic] KICK DOWN MY DOOR ITS OVER WERE DO I GO FROM HEREEEEE MANNNNN DO I END MY LIFE IDK WAT TO DO I F----ED UP."
Investigators said the gun used in the shooting has not been recovered.
Suspected Bryant Park Shooter Updated Facebook Status As Police Closed In On His Apartment
The violence comes as Bryant Park prepares for the busy holiday season and officials are trying to reassure the public that the park is safe, despite the shooting.
"Our hearts go out to the wounded and their families, and to those who were at the park during that time," park officials said in a Facebook post Sunday. "We are cooperating fully with authorities, who agree that it is safe to reopen."
Kelly said extra security will be on hand at the skating rink.
"There is security at Bryant Park," Kelly said. "It's a very safe area. We'll make those judgments (about increased security) as we go forward. but obviously there will be a presence there in the immediate future."
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