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1 Dead, 4 Injured In Brighton Beach Boardwalk Shooting (Video)
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 9, 2011
Modified Jun 10, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 9, 2011
Modified Jun 10, 2011
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A shooting broke out on the boardwalk at Brighton Beach around 5:20 p.m., injuring four men and one woman, who later died. With public schools closed for Brooklyn-Queens Day and the weather conditions sweltering, the beach was packed. A police source pointed to empty malt liquor bottles and told the Post, "It’s a bad combination of guns, heat, beer and angry young men."
It seems that a feud broke out between two groups, creating a chaotic scene. According to the Daily News, "One man used an umbrella to crack another man in the head, as the fight erupted near Brighton 6th St. about 5:20 p.m. Then a gunman squeezed off about eight rounds into a crowd." Bystanders took cover and rushed into restaurants and other businesses. Here's video after the shooting:
A community leader, the Brighton Neighborhood Association president Pat Singer, told the News that violence occurred around the same time previous years, "They get into turf wars. It happens every damn year. Feuds break out."
On Twitter, djslicknick wrote, “Just watched some idiot kid let off 8 rounds into a crowded beach. Some people have no sense. I'm never going to Brighton beach again," and then added, "yeah I saw like 4 ambulances... I saw the kid let off the shots.. It was a madhouse I just got on the train." Later, he Tweeted, "yoooo detectives showed up to my house this is nuts!!!" "I'm kinda nervous right now the detectives are taking me to their precinct in bk" and finally replied to another person "I have nothing to snitch about I don't know anyone."
Police say that two people fired shots into the crowd and two people were being questioned. It's unclear if the victims were the intended targets (the News suggests at least two were bystanders)—beyond the female victim who died, a male victim is in critical condition while the three other male victims did not have life-threatening injuries.
Tagged
brighton beach
Brooklyn-Queens Day
fatal shooting
gun violence
shooting
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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