NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The West Indian American Day Parade in Brooklyn turned violent Monday afternoon as multiple people were shot, cops confirmed.
The shots were heard at around 2:30 p.m. on Eastern Parkway near Franklin Avenue during what is typically one of the city’s largest celebrations of Caribbean culture, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees.
A gunman targeting a specific group of people opened fire along the parade route, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said.
Two of the five shooting victims were critically wounded, Chell said. All the victims were transported to NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County and are expected to recovery. They range in age from 16 to 69 years old.
“This was not random,” Chell said. “This was an intentional act by one person towards a group of people. We do not by no means have any active shooter or anything of that nature running around Eastern Parkway as we speak. The parade is going on and will go on until later on tonight.”
No arrests have been made, and as of Tuesday, police are still searching for a suspect, described as a man in his 20s wearing a bandana over his face.
Police cordoned off an area adjacent to the parade route, where they had placed crime scene markers. The parade continued flowing past as officers were seen bagging items.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was marching in the parade at the time and completed the route.
“I’m pained and troubled by the horrible shooting that took place as we were marching together at the West Indian Day Festival and Parade in Brooklyn,” Schumer posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Thank you to our 1st responders on the scene. I pray for everyone affected. We must keep working to end gun violence in America.”
Now in its 57th year, the annual Labor Day event transformed Eastern Parkway into a vibrant display of feathered costumes, colorful flags, and the sounds of soca and reggae music.
Participants started getting ready at around 9 a.m., putting on their costumes, and attendees like Sajada “can’t wait to see different costumes, the different bands, the different floats, everybody in their culture,” she told 1010 WINS. Sajada is the coach of the Brooklyn Gatorettes, a major dance team, and though the girls were too shy to speak, they wished everyone a very happy Labor Day.
Participants in the West Indian American Day Parade march down Eastern Parkway in celebration of the Caribbean Carnival on September 02, 2024 in Brooklyn. Photo credit Amanda Alexandre The nearly 2-mile parade route runs from Crown Heights to the Brooklyn Museum, attracting huge crowds and local politicians, including Mayor Eric Adams.
The NYPD had said it was maintaining a strong presence during the parade, with 13 security checkpoints and drones overhead, coordinating with local faith leaders and crisis management groups to ensure safety.
"This is a Brooklyn tradition that dates back to the fight for freedom and Emancipation," Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X. "Now, it is a wonderful showcase of Caribbean culture, our diversity, and our unity."
The parade has its roots in pre-Lent Carnival celebrations started by a Trinidadian immigrant in Manhattan about a century ago. It moved to Brooklyn in the 1960s, where it now serves as the culmination of days of carnival events, including a steel pan band competition and the early morning J’Ouvert celebration, which commemorates freedom from slavery.
The name J’Ouvert originates from the French words “jour ouvert,” which means "daybreak."
The West Indian American Day Parade is the highlight of a weekend filled with Caribbean pride, featuring events like the Junior Carnival and the Panorama steelpan festival. The parade itself is a joyful expression of cultural heritage, rooted in the Caribbean tradition of “Mas” or Masquerade, with elaborate costumes, music, and dancing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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