NEW YORK (WPIX) — Ten people, including seven innocent bystanders, were shot in what police called a “brazen, coordinated” and suspected gang-related attack in the New York City borough of Queens Saturday night.
The hail of bullets erupted near a laundromat in the borough’s Corona neighborhood around 10:40 p.m., police said Sunday morning.
Two masked and hooded male suspects opened fire, striking seven innocent bystanders and three known members of the Trinitarios street gang, according to police and surveillance video of the shooting.
The suspects then ran back and jumped on two scooters driven by two other masked and hooded male suspects, police said.
All of the victims, who range in age from 19 to 72 years old, were expected to survive, police said. The most serious injury was a gunshot to the stomach, one investigator said.
Some of the innocent bystanders were attending a birthday party at a nearby restaurant, according to the NYPD. Investigators do not believe the party was connected to the shooting.
At least 40 ballistics, including shell casings and deformed bullets, have been recovered so far, but police said investigators were still combing the scene for more evidence.
During a news briefing Sunday morning, one police official called the shooting a “brazen coordinated attack.” He said the shooting follows common themes police have been seeing recently involving gang members, multiple guns, scooters, and innocent bystanders getting shot.
Police said it was too early in the investigation to say whether the shooting was connected to any other recent violent crimes in the area or around the city.
No arrests had been made, as of early Sunday morning.
The mass shooting is the latest in an ongoing spike in gun violence plaguing New York City. As of Saturday night, there were at least 898 shootings and over 1,056 victims, compared to 771 shootings and 938 victims during the same time period last year, according to NYPD data.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).