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5 shot near West Indian Day parade route in Brooklyn. The festivities go on.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Sep 2, 2024
Modified Sep 2, 2024
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Jessica Gould/Gothamist
By
Jessica Gould
Published Sep 2, 2024
Modified Sep 2, 2024
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Five people were shot, including two who were critically injured, near the parade route of the West Indian Day parade Monday in Brooklyn, the NYPD said.
“Of the five, two are critical and three are expected to survive,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell told reporters at a 4 p.m. briefing. Chell said among the injured were four males and one female.
He called the violence “an intentional act by one person towards a group of people.” Chell said he did not know if all the victims were the intended targets. He assured the public that there was no “active shooter … running around Eastern Parkway as we speak.”
He added the popular Labor Day parade and festivities would continue.
“The parade is going on and it will go on until later tonight,” Chell said. “We have multiple cops working very hard this weekend and working very hard to keep this community and to keep this parade safe. And we’ll be working until the wee hours of the morning doing just that.”
Police said the assailant has not been apprehended. They are looking for a Black male in his 20s with a slight build who was wearing a bandana and a brown shirt with paint stains on it.
The scene along the West Indian Day parade route Monday in Brooklyn.
Jessica Gould/Gothamist
The shooting took place at 307 Eastern Parkway at 2:35 p.m., under sunny skies.
Earlier in the day, some attendees expressed concerns about gun violence, after prior years’ festivities were marred by crime.
Brooklyn resident Marie Clarke, 58, who was clad in green and yellow for the Jamaican flag, said she’s noticed the crowds – while still substantial – had thinned in recent years.
“It was more trucks, and it was more crowded,” Clarke said, adding she worried fear of gun violence had kept people away.
“I think it's because of the crime,” Clarke said. “We need to unite and live in peace and harmony. And stop the violence. Stop killing each other. Put away the guns. There's too much guns in this place. “
The scene along the West Indian Day parade route Monday in Brooklyn.
jessica Gould/Gothatmist
Shootings and slashings marred last year's festivities. In 2020, five people, including a six-year-old boy, were shot.
Many politicians participated in the parade. Mayor Eric Adams cut the ribbon in the morning, and Gov. Kathy Hochul addressed the throngs who turned out. Attorney General Tish James and multiple members of the City Council attended as well.
The Rev. Al Sharpton tweeted that he had attended the parade earlier in the day with his 5-year-old grandson “to celebrate Caribbean culture, joy, and heritage.” He said he later learned of the shooting. “It’s devastating that such a beautiful celebration was marred by senseless violence yet again,” he wrote. “We must come together to end the cycle of gun violence in our communities.”
The scene along the West Indian Day parade route Monday in Brooklyn.
Jessica Gould/Gothamist
The festival is facing other challenges.
Masquerade bands have reported diminishing interest, rising costs and dwindling funds in recent years, leading to fierce competition, mistrust and debt among some groups.
Still, as crowds were gathering earlier in the day, many participants spoke of how much the festival means to them.
Vanessa Campbell, 48, a school paraprofessional in Brooklyn, said she had spent months crafting her costume, which fanned out like a bright sun yellow, orange and pink feathers from her jeweled bikini. “Carnival is color, and so I blended all the bright colors together. And that's how I feel about it. It's full of life. It's full of color.”
She said the parade is about showcasing the contributions of people of Caribbean heritage in New York. “We’re the teachers, we’re the nurses, we’re their council members,” she said. “And these are things that we need to celebrate.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information is known.
Tagged
public safety
west indian day parade
brooklyn
Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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