One of the five people who were shot and injured Monday afternoon at Brooklyn’s West Indian Day Parade has died, NYPD officials said Tuesday morning.
Police did not immediately release the man’s name as they worked to notify his family, but said he was 25 years old and had been shot in the abdomen when a gunman opened fire on a crowd of revelers near Eastern Parkway around 2:30 p.m. Chief of Patrol John Chell said Monday shortly after the shooting that the violence was “an intentional act by one person towards a group of people,” and that there was no active shooter — but police haven’t clarified why they believe that. Police have not named a suspect.
The shooting marks yet another deadly incident at the boisterous parade, which draws tens of thousands of people to Crown Heights, and which has been tainted by stabbings and shootings in past years as well. The continued violence leaves open questions about how attendees and participants can feel safe even as the parade struggles with a decline in participation that many of its popular masquerade bands attribute to dwindling resources and fierce competition, making it harder for the bands to turn a profit through their showcases of Caribbean music and culture with intricate costumes and dancing.
For years, the NYPD has also been caught in the crosshairs, trying to keep celebrants safe while also responding to criticisms of over-policing the event.
Besides the 25-year-old who died, a 36-year-old man was also left in critical condition, police said. They said he improved at the hospital overnight. A 64-year-old man, a 69-year-old woman, and a 16-year-old boy were also injured in Monday’s shooting and expected to survive, police said.
At a press conference near the parade route Monday afternoon, Chell said he did not know if all the victims were the intended targets.
The shooter remained on the loose Tuesday morning, and police said they were still trying to identify a motive in the shooting.
Brooklyn resident Marie Clarke, 58, told Gothamist Monday that she worried the fear of gun violence was keeping 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. “
This is a developing story and will be updated.