Brooklyn Woman Wounded When Stray Bullet Smashes Through Kitchen Window
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Brooklyn woman is recovering after she was shot in the chest by a stray bullet that came flying through her apartment window.
The shooting happened shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday on Linden Boulevard in East Flatbush.
The 57-year-old victim was struck while she was washing dishes. She told investigators she was standing inside her apartment when she heard gunshots, looked down and realized she had been hit.
Police are questioning several suspects.
Video shows a crowd of paramedics rushing into the apartment before gingerly carrying out the victim on a stretcher. The bullet that hit her in the chest went through her second story kitchen window.
"She told me there was a shootout, that bullets were flying from the street into her apartment," said landlord Sal Landau.
Landau is the property owner and says the victim is a long time tenant. He told CBS2's Christina Fan he spoke to the victim's husband, who said she was washing dishes Wednesday night when she heard gunfire, looked down, and realized she had been hit.
"They are very nice people. The husband and wife, I know them. I see them almost every single day," he said.
Sources told CBS2 at least two gunmen were firing and that the shooting is believed to be gang related. Police scoured the neighborhood for clues Thursday, examining a car window that was also shattered by a bullet.
Marie Valme, who lives in the same building, believes she could have become the unintended target too.
"We have the same kitchen on the same side. She's on top, I'm on the bottom. It could've been me too. So it's very scary," Valme said.
"How could you feel safe when you could be just walking down the street and be hit by a stray bullet?" said a woman who works in the neighborhood. "It's just unthinkable and unbelievable."
Landau says he's vowing to do everything in his power to catch the shooters. His building is equipped with several surveillance cameras that he has already shared with police.
"I hope it'll show the guy who did it and they should prosecute them," he said.
The victim was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where she is in stable condition.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting 274637.