A tragic incident unfolded yesterday afternoon in Brooklyn when a 7-month-old infant in a stroller was fatally struck by a stray bullet. The shooting is believed to be gang-related, with the child being an unintended casualty, according to authorities.
“There are no words to heal the heartbreak this family is experiencing,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a press briefing near the scene of the tragedy. “A life that had barely begun was taken in an instant.”
The shooting occurred around 1:20 p.m. when two men on a scooter fired at least two shots towards a group of adults and children gathered at a street corner. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported.
After the shooting, the suspects fled but crashed their scooter into an oncoming vehicle two blocks away. Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch, stated that the collision was so severe it caused both men to be thrown from the moped, with one losing his shoes in the process.
One of the men suffered injuries from the crash and was taken to a hospital, where he was placed in police custody for an unrelated matter. The other suspect managed to escape and remains at large.
Investigators are utilizing neighborhood security footage to trace the scooter’s route following the shooting, Tisch reported.
“This is an awful day for our city, a tragedy that truly shocks the conscience,” she expressed during the briefing. “As a mother, I cannot fathom the pain this family is enduring or the grief they will carry. It is unimaginable.”
The heartbreaking incident comes amid a period of declining crime rates in New York City. As of Sunday, the New York Police Department reported 52 homicides in 2026, marking a 29 percent decrease compared to the same timeframe last year. The city is on pace to conclude the first quarter with homicide and shooting numbers at their lowest levels in decades.
Mayor Mamdani emphasized that this incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need to address gun violence in the community.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong