Authorities say a 6-year-old boy was among five people shot in a Brooklyn neighborhood early Monday morning near an outdoor J'Ouvert celebration.
The shots broke out around 3 a.m. in Crown Heights near Nostrand Avenue and Crown Street, according to police. Two of the victims were critically injured, police say, and all five were transported to Kings County Hospital.
Three men were shot, as well as the young boy's mother, police said. The boy and his mother were shot while getting out of a cab near their home, according to police.
It appears “we had two individuals pull out firearms and just start shooting at a crowd,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison told press a few hours after the incident.
Police took into custody two men they believe responsible for the shooting.
"I'm sure you can understand the 6-year-old was not the intended target," Monahan said. "I will say this, this does look like it may be a gang-related shooting incident, or a gang exercise, I should say."
The shooting occurred near a massive outdoor gathering of people celebrating J'Ouvert. It was not immediately clear if police were connecting the shooting to the unauthorized celebration.
Hundreds had gathered to march down Brooklyn streets despite moving West Indian Day events virtual this year due to the pandemic.
