Gunman opens fire at July 4th barbecue in Brooklyn, wounding 8 including 4 children

A July 4th barbecue in Brooklyn's Coney Island neighborhood turned violent when a masked gunman opened fire, injuring eight people, including four children, late Saturday night. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. in the courtyard of an apartment building on West 31st Street, an hour after nearby fireworks displays concluded. Police reported that an assailant, dressed in black and wearing a ski mask, approached a fence line and fired multiple rounds into the gathering before fleeing on foot.

Among the wounded, whose ages ranged from 6 to 37, a 21-year-old woman is in critical condition after being shot in the chest, while the other seven victims, including boys aged 6, 7, 12, and 14, are in stable condition. Law enforcement recovered a firearm and shell casings at the scene but have not yet made any arrests.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated there was no indication of any prior altercation at the barbecue. Authorities are currently investigating a potential connection between this mass shooting and a recent gang-related homicide that took place on the same block, as the search for the suspect continues.