Eight injured in New York shooting

Eight people, including four children, were injured in a shooting in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York City, last night as Independence Day celebrations and fireworks displays were taking place.

The New York City Police Department said officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire near West 31st Street and Surf Avenue, where they found eight people suffering from gunshot wounds. The victims were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The injured range in age from six to 37. They include a six-year-old child who was shot in the abdomen, children aged seven and 12, and a 14-year-old boy who sustained gunshot wounds to both legs. Also injured were a 21-year-old woman shot in the chest, a 25-year-old woman shot in the leg, and two men aged 33 and 37 who were shot in the chest and shoulder, respectively.

Police described the condition of the 21-year-old woman as critical, while the other seven victims were reported to be in stable condition.

The department confirmed that a firearm was recovered at the scene but said no suspects had been arrested and no description of the suspect or suspects had been released. Investigations are continuing to determine the circumstances and motive behind the shooting.

The shooting occurred shortly after the fireworks display, which was scheduled to begin at 21:45. It remains unclear whether the incident took place while the display was still under way or immediately after it had concluded.

Local media reported that the shooting occurred near the Coney Island boardwalk and amphitheatre, an area that was crowded with visitors celebrating the Fourth of July holiday.

The incident came just days after a separate shooting in Coney Island in which a 24-year-old man was killed, highlighting the continued incidence of gun violence in the area despite heightened security during the holiday celebrations.