Six teenagers were wounded in a shooting early Sunday in Brooklyn and taken to local hospitals with gunshot injuries, the New York Police Department (NYPD) told Newsweek in an email.
Why It Matters
The incident came hours after a shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, left two people dead and nine others injured Saturday, as well as an attack in Bondi Beach in Australia that left 12 dead. The shooting also occurred on the 13th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting that killed 20 children and six adults at the school.
While there is no singular consensus on what constitutes a “mass shooting,” the nonprofit organization Gun Violence Archive (GVA), which tracks nationwide incidents, defines it as “if four or more people are shot or killed in a single incident, not including the shooter.” As of mid-December, there have been 389 mass shootings in the United States, according to GVA.
What To Know
On Saturday evening, a “Sweet 16 event” took place at Burbuja Events in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, the venue confirmed to Newsweek. The venue said the party “concluded well before the incident occurred,” adding that “the incident took place outside the venue after the event had ended.”
Police responded to a 911 call reporting multiple people were shot in front of Burbuja Events around 1:15 a.m. early Sunday morning,
NYPD said upon arrival they identified six victims, “officers observed a 15-year-old female with gunshot wounds to the chest, hip, and leg, a 15-year-old female with a gunshot wound to the right leg, a 15-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the left arm, a 16-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the right arm, a 16-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the left foot, and a 17-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the right leg.”
Four of the victims were transported to One Brooklyn-Health-Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, and two others were brought to Kings County Hospital Center.
What People Are Saying
Rita Joseph, a New York City Council member, said in an X post on Sunday: “I am saddened by the devastating shooting in Brooklyn that left multiple teenagers injured. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the entire community as they heal.”
Sandy Nurse, a New York City Council member, said in an X post on Sunday: “Terrible news to wake up to, especially after having a very good year in the 75th. Hoping for swift recovery of everyone injured and sending love to all the families.”
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said in an X post Saturday night about the Brown University shooting: “This senseless violence—once considered unfathomable—has become nauseatingly normal to all of us across our nation. Tonight, on the eve of the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, we find ourselves in mourning once again.”
What Happens Next?
As of Sunday morning, all of the victims are in stable condition, the police said, noting “There are no arrests at this time, and the investigation remains ongoing.”
Anyone with information regarding the shooting or suspects can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.