Caribbean-American Democratic U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke on Wednesday strongly condemned the capturing of a number of spectators on the huge West Indian-American Day Carnival Parade in Brooklyn on Labor Day Monday.
The New York Police Division (NYPD) stated on Tuesday that one man has died after an unidentified gunman opened fireplace on spectators nearly on the finish of the 57th Annual West Indian American Day Carnival Parade on Japanese Parkway, a significant thoroughfare in Brooklyn.
The NYPD stated a minimum of 5 folks have been shot and wounded at Classon Avenue and Japanese Parkway within the Crown Heights part of Brooklyn.
The NYPD stated 25-year-old Denzel Chan, of Texas, died on the sprawling Kings County Hospital within the coronary heart of the Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn after being shot within the abdomen by the assailant, who stays at massive.
“On behalf of the folks of the ninth District and myself, I want to categorical my deepest condolences to the households and beloved neighborhood members who’re traumatized and bereaved on the tragic lack of life, harm, and hurt that was witnessed and skilled throughout our Annual Caribbean Carnival,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the ninth Congressional District in Brooklyn, informed Caribbean Life.
“I am pained and very troubled by the horrific capturing that came about in the course of the West Indian American Day Parade in Brooklyn,” added Clarke, who, together with her Jamaican-born mom, former New York Metropolis Council Member Una S.T. Clarke, marched within the parade. “I, alongside my colleagues, native management, neighborhood members, and guests, was having fun with a beautiful day of household, pals, and festivities as we celebrated the numerous contributions of the Caribbean neighborhood after we have been rocked by gunfire and chaos.
“I’m calling upon those that might have seen the shooter to work with legislation enforcement officers as they work to apprehend him,” she continued. “I am so grateful to the primary responders and medical professionals who secured the world and supplied emergency response providers for all these affected.
“I actually imagine that each American has the precise to the pursuit of happiness,” Clarke stated. “Residents of Brooklyn and all others round this nice nation can not acquire and absolutely understand that proper when they’re residing in fixed concern of turning into victims of gun violence. It’s previous time that we absolutely shield our communities from the scourge of gun violence.”
The U.S. Rep. known as for a “complete method to remove gun violence throughout this nation, beginning with passing commonsense gun laws that places an finish to gun trafficking and the illicit gun pipeline reaching into underserved and susceptible communities, improves and elevates psychological well being providers, and absolutely helps efforts to counter this ongoing and ever-present risk. Sufficient is sufficient!”
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams and the Brooklyn-based West Indian American Day Carnival Affiliation (WIADCA), organizer of the big Carnival Parade, additionally strongly condemned the capturing on the extravaganza.
“The West Indian American Day Parade is a joyous occasion that celebrates our metropolis’s multitude of cultures and variety. However as an alternative of permitting all to get pleasure from a momentous event for our metropolis, a gunman turned at present’s celebration into tragedy when he senselessly fired into the gang, hitting a number of revelers,” stated Adams and WIADCA President Roger Archibald, a Trinidadian-born legal professional, in a joint assertion Monday night time.
“The NYPD is investigating this incident, and we’re grateful for the courageous women and men who rapidly responded and helped to make sure New Yorkers may proceed to be secure whereas celebrating,” they added.
“Whereas we’re maintaining the victims and their households in our prayers as they battle to recuperate, we all know we should do extra to fight gun violence and make sure the security of each New Yorker and customer,” Adams and Archibald continued.
NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell stated 4 males and one lady, whose ages vary from 16 to 69, have been wounded when the gunman fired a number of photographs at paradegoers.
“This was one individual deliberately going after a bunch of people that tried to spoil the day for everyone,” Chell stated. “This was not random; this was an intentional act.”
He stated the suspected gunman stood on the concrete divider on Japanese Parkway and fired a number of photographs into the gang of close by spectators.
The NYPD recognized the opposite victims, listed as in steady situation, solely as a 69-year-old lady who was shot within the again proper shoulder; a 64-year-old man who was shot in the precise arm; a 36-year-old man who was shot within the head; and a 16-year-old male who shot within the left arm.
The NYPD stated the gunman, believed to be in his 20s, fled the scene on foot.
United States Home of Representatives Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries, who represents Crown Heights, a bit of his eighth Congressional District that encompasses components of Brooklyn and Queens, stated he was “saddened and horrified” by the capturing.
“My prayers are with the victims and their households throughout this tough time,” stated Jeffries, who spoke earlier on Monday on the Pre-Parade Breakfast. “The parade is a phenomenal show of tradition and neighborhood that I’ve been honored to attend over time, together with this yr. Each American ought to be capable of have fun their heritage with out the specter of gun violence.
“Nobody in Brooklyn, New York, or America is secure till we get weapons of battle off our streets,” he added. “America can’t be one of the best model of herself till we crush the scourge of gun violence as soon as and for all.”
U.S. Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, who additionally participated within the parade, stated the capturing additionally saddened him.
“I pray for everybody affected,” he wrote on X, previously Twitter. “We should maintain working to finish gun violence in America.”
The NYPD stated, throughout a press convention on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 1 Police Plaza in decrease Manhattan, that the unidentified assailant in Monday’s capturing was a gang member and that he had a rating to settle with a 16-year-old sufferer.
“We imagine that is an remoted incident,” stated Chief Jerry O’Sullivan of the NYPD Detectives Bureau. “We imagine that is gang-related primarily based on the folks we have now recognized on the scene and fleeing from the scene.
“Thus far, our investigation reveals this was one shooter that created this incident,” he added, stating that police investigators are acquiring “an amazing quantity of assist” from the neighborhood by way of movies as they search to seek out the gunman.
NYPD Chief of Division Jeffrey Maddrey stated: “Midway by means of the West Indian Day Parade, some idiot decides to fireplace a gun right into a crowd.
“The NYPD has drastically diminished violence at this occasion,” he stated. “We’ve lower shootings down and lower violence down, and we’ll proceed to do this.”
