Police: 70-Year-Old Woman Shot In The Face Aboard Bus In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman was shot in the face aboard a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn on Tuesday afternoon.
Police say dozens of passengers were on board the B25 bus around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday when a gunman opened fire on Fulton Street by Tompkins Avenue.
"I heard three loud gunshots right outside of the business," witness Kendrick Greer told CBS2's Ali Bauman.
Surveillance video shows innocent bystanders running to a nearby restaurant for cover.
"And immediately, I saw three gentlemen run by. I saw their hats fall," Greer said.
JP Patafio represents the bus driver's transit union.
"He said he heard 'pop, pop, pop,' and then he looked in the mirror, he saw a little bit of commotion, he saw everyone on the bus hit the floor," Patafio said.
He says the bus driver drove one block up to get out of the crossfire.
"Our bus driver drove approximately one block up when he was alerted by his passengers that there was somebody that was struck by a bullet in the rear of the bus," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison.
Watch: NYPD Briefing On Stray Bullet Shooting In Brooklyn
Police said the 70-year-old victim was sitting in the back of the bus when her cheek was grazed by a bullet.
Witness Shannon Pendiver was there when the bus pulled over.
"That scene was, like, really bad. Like, I've never seen that much blood in my life. And it must have been really bad because they wrapped it, and then the blood was still pouring out. So I just hope whoever's mom, grandmother that is, that she is OK because it could have been anybody on the bus," Pendiver said.
Video shows a small bullet hole piercing a sign for tires on the back of the bus.
Dozens of people were also on board the bus at the time, but there were no reports of other injuries.
"She seemed really scared, 'cause she was holding onto herself," Pendiver said.
The woman was in traumatic arrest when EMS arrived. They rushed her to Kings County Hospital, where she was in stable condition.
Link: Tracking Shootings In NYC
Police were looking for surveillance video and talking to witnesses, trying to figure out what led to the shooting.
There were no immediate arrests, but police believe the suspect was wearing a red or orange jacket.
"Nobody should have to go through this on a bus or anywhere else. Thanks to the heroic actions of the bus operator by driving passengers out of the line of fire, and radioing to get help, a serious incident did not turn tragic. Our thoughts are with the victim to whom we wish a speedy recovery and we are fully cooperating with the NYPD investigation," said Craig Cipriano, president of MTA Bus Company.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
RELATED STORY -- NYPD: Woman In Critical Condition Following Stray-Bullet Shooting On Staten Island
This is the second innocent bystander hit in the city in less than 24 hours.
A 52-year-old woman was shot in the head on Staten Island on Monday night. Police say that innocent bystander was waiting in a building lobby when outside, a gunman fired at a crowd standing on the street. The bullet pierced both lobby doors and struck the 52-year-old. She is now on life support.
Gun violence this year continues to outpace 2019.
This time last year, there were 699 shootings. In 2020, shootings have nearly doubled. As of Monday, there have been 1,663.
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