Eight injured, including four children, in Coney Island shooting during July 4 celebrations
A shooting near the Coney Island amusement park on Saturday night left eight people wounded, including four children aged 6 to 14, as crowds gathered for Independence Day festivities.
The shooting
At around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, gunfire erupted near West 31st Street and Surf Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn, just steps from the iconic amusement park and boardwalk. The area was packed with people celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, with a fireworks display having taken place at 9:45 p.m. Police received reports of shots fired at 10:37 p.m. and responded to the scene at 2900 West 31st Street, where they found eight people wounded.
Victims
The injured include two men aged 37 and 33, two women aged 25 and 21, and four boys aged 14, 12, 7, and 6. All were transported by emergency medical services to area hospitals. Seven of the victims were listed in stable condition, while the 21-year-old woman remains in critical condition, according to the New York Police Department.
Response and investigation
Officers recovered a firearm at the scene, but no arrests have been made as of Sunday afternoon. The NYPD has not released details about a suspect or a possible motive. Detectives were seen concentrating near the SeaPark Apartments, where they assisted the wounded. A deli employee told eldiario.es that he saw police officers running with children in their arms and a child being loaded into an ambulance. He also heard that officers had found a backpack containing a gun under some trees.
- Scheduled fireworks show at Coney Island boardwalk
- Shots fired near Surf Avenue and West 31st Street
- NYPD responds to reports of shooting
- Police recover a firearm; no arrests made, investigation ongoing
Mayor's statement
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the violence in a statement, saying there is no place for such acts in the city. He pledged to use all available tools to combat it and expressed solidarity with the victims' families.
There is no place for this type of violence in our city. We will not tolerate it and we will fight it with all the tools at our disposal.
He added that the city shares the pain of those whose loved ones were hurt and renewed the commitment to making every celebration safe.
Context
The shooting marred what was otherwise a festive weekend marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Coney Island, a popular summer destination, draws large crowds for the July 4 holiday, and the fireworks show is a traditional highlight. The incident adds to ongoing concerns about gun violence in New York City, though overall crime rates have fluctuated in recent years.
