A 9-year-old boy is recovering at a Brooklyn hospital after he was shot in the leg Thursday afternoon.
It happened just before 6 p.m. near the intersection of Livonia Avenue and Bristol Street.
Child injured in shooting
Police said a bullet struck the child in his right leg, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital.
A woman who said she was the victim’s aunt described her nephew as a nice boy who just wanted to play.
“He was coming to ring the bell to get my child to come out to play. It’s a nice day outside in the community,” she said. “I’m very shook up.”
Neighbor Esmeralda Perez said her kids ran inside the house the moment they heard the shots ring out.
“It had to be about four gunshots that I heard,” she said.
The victim’s aunt said after the shooting, she saw three individuals running towards a nearby train station.
Police said they do not believe the 9-year-old boy was the intended target. At this time, police say no arrests have been made. Â
NYPD on gun violence
Just hours before the shooting, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch held a press conference in Precinct 73, the same precinct where the shooting took place, to tout progress against gun violence.
“As the result of our crime-fighting strategies, shooting incidents this year are down 25% compared to 2024 and 40% compared to 2023,” she said.
Tisch said since Janury, police have seized more than 1,000 guns across all five boroughs, including 300 in Brooklyn alone.
“To be honest, I’ve never, never, never seen no gunshots. There was never problems in this area,” Perez said.
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