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17-year-old in critical condition after Crown Heights community center shooting
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Aug 16, 2023
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Brittany Kriegstein/Gothamist
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Aug 16, 2023
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A 17-year-old is in critical condition after he was shot in the lobby of a community center in Crown Heights, Brooklyn on Tuesday night, according to police.
NYPD officials said the teen was in the lobby of the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center on Bedford Avenue and Union Street around 7:30 p.m. when he was shot in the abdomen.
The shooter fled, and the teen was transported to Kings County Hospital in critical condition.
Police said it's unclear what sparked the shooting, but that they plan to place the injured teen under arrest because they found a gun in his possession at the time of the incident. His name was not released.
Community centers are often touted by gun violence prevention groups as safe havens for young people who would otherwise end up on the streets.
The Major R. Owens Center includes multiple indoor spaces for sports, recreation and the arts– with indoor basketball courts, turf fields, a gym and six-lane lap pool, according to the facility’s website.
The website explains that the Center also supports local nonprofits, calling itself a “place for local organizations to come together around united goals of community support and social justice.”
Keifer Dover practices steel drums at the center in a band affiliated with the West Indian American Day Carnival Association. He said he heard about the shooting on the Citizen app and is worried about what it means for safety at the facility.
“I’m always in there, because we have a rehearsal room on the third floor,” Dover said. “This is the first time I’ve heard about anything like that happening in there, so it’s kind of shocking.”
Staff at the facility on Wednesday would not answer a reporter’s questions about the incident, and did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Police have made no arrests, and said the investigation is ongoing.
Crown Heights was the site of a novel study by a group of researchers from the Center for Justice Innovation, who interviewed more than 100 teens from the neighborhood about why they carry guns. The researchers found that most of the teens carried firearms out of fear that someone else would shoot them if they didn’t.
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shooting
nypd
public safety
brooklyn
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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