2 young men shot as Brooklyn Puerto Rican Day Parade wraps up: cops
Two young men were shot on Sunday evening as a Brooklyn Puerto Rican Day Parade came to a close, according to police reports. The incident took place in Sunset Park on 45th Street near 5th Avenue just after 7 p.m. A 19-year-old man was shot in the left arm, while a 20-year-old man was hit in the back during a clash at the scene.
Video footage obtained by News 12 captured the moment of the shooting, showing a shooter dressed in all black chasing a man wearing red pants down 45th Street. The victim fell behind a parked car as the shooter opened fire. The shooting occurred just steps away from multiple parade-goers who were still lingering in the area.
Although police have not confirmed a direct link between the shooting and the Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival in Sunset Park, which had started at 5 p.m. and ended near 43rd Street, the proximity of the incident to the parade route raises suspicions. Bystander video showed medics and police responding to the scene, with the roped-off area near the shooting site being close to where parade-goers were present.
Both victims were transported to NYU Langone Brooklyn Medical Center and were reported to be in stable condition. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear at this time.
Earlier in the day, Brooklyn-born Knicks point guard Jose Alvarado embarked on his NBA Finals victory tour at the Knickerbocker Avenue Puerto Rican Day Parade in Bushwick. Joined by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Alvarado expressed his gratitude to the fans for their support. The celebration came after the Knicks secured their first NBA title in 53 years during Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs.
In a separate incident, a total of 63 individuals were taken into custody over the weekend as rowdy celebrations following the Knicks’ victory turned chaotic in New York City. Among the incidents reported was a 17-year-old boy being shot in the left foot in Times Square around 2 a.m. on Sunday. The chaos escalated as hooligans began vandalizing and setting fire to school buses in the area.
Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the shooting in Times Square, but neither of them was identified as the shooter. Carmelo Rodriguez, 18, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. A 17-year-old boy was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and possession of a weapon in a restricted location.
The incidents of violence following the Knicks’ victory have raised concerns about public safety and the need for enhanced security measures during large-scale events in the city.
