Gunmen Open Fire On Crowd Outside Crown Heights Apartment Building; 1 Dead, 5 Wounded
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Six people were shot, including one fatally, overnight in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Police said a group was gathered outside an apartment building by the corner of President Street and Franklin Avenue at around 2:15 a.m.
At least three suspects approached the crowd and began shooting.
"It's ridiculous. That's what it is, it's just ridiculous," Crown Heights resident Vincent Spaulding told CBS2's John Dias.
First responders rushed two 19-year-olds, a 25-year-old, and 35-year-old to an area hospital.
A 52-year-old woman and 30-year-old man were also shot. The woman drove the man to a local hospital, but he died before doctors could help, police said.
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Neighbors said the scene was reminiscent of the shooting that claimed the life of 1-year-old Davell Gardner Jr. on Sunday night.
"We are protesting that 'Black Lives Matter,' but then we're still shooting each other," said Mahala Nurse.
"I think that people should come together and live together," Deighton Hope added.
One woman told Dias she heard eight gunshots.
"I ran downstairs. There was a young lady running up the block holding her buttocks," she said. "I prayed for all their kids, waited for their moms to show up."
She said she's afraid of what might come next.
"I have my kids, I have my grandkids, we sit out here. Like I said to them today, we're going to stay indoors," she said.
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This is the latest in a series of gun violence plaguing the city. The NYPD reported 12 shootings Tuesday with 13 victims.
"More focus should be paid attention to the needs of inner cities to prevent it, as opposed to focusing on the violence -- the cause of the violence, why the violence is happening," one resident told CBS2.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said upwards of 70% of recent shootings have been linked to gangs.
"It's important for people to understand we are seeing a lot of gang violence out here in Brooklyn," he said. "We don't know if it's the same people at this time. I know that the gang violence is going back and forth. So it could be one gang retaliating against another gang from a previous shooting."
Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly said the key to stemming the violence is bringing police and communities together.
During Wednesday's press briefing, he spoke about a Central Brooklyn violence prevention plan that will take effect this weekend.
"This plan has a two-fold core to it. One, increase targeted NYPD mobilization. Two, community mobilization -- community members, community leaders, community organizations out in the streets making their presence felt. Reaching young people in new ways," he said. "We have seen this in recent days, the power of this approach."
The mayor said community groups will help connect people with information about housing, jobs and youth services, and mobile trauma units will offer mental health services, CBS2's Alice Gainer reported.
"You are going to see this summer more and more communities come out to create the reality they need for themselves and their young people, and we will be with them every step along the way," de Blasio said.
"We intend to where those hotspots are located to provide long-term sustainable services like jobs plus, like affordable housing," City Councilman Robert Cornegy said.
Police are offering rewards of up to $2,500 for tips leading to arrests in the case.
