A shooting at a Fourth of July cookout in Coney Island wounded eight people, including four children, police reported. The incident occurred Saturday night in the courtyard of an apartment building located about a block from the Coney Island boardwalk and near the site of the Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that a suspect, disguised with a black mask, fired into the courtyard where a family was gathered. The shooter fled the scene, but law enforcement recovered a firearm. The children injured in the attack are between the ages of 6 and 14. One adult victim, a 21-year-old woman, was in critical condition, while the other wounded individuals were reported to be stable and expected to recover.
Authorities indicated there were no reports of prior disturbances at the gathering. The shooting took place on the holiday evening, with the neighborhood celebrating the Fourth of July.