Shooting At East Flatbush House Party Leaves 8 People Hospitalized
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - There was no word on a suspect Sunday evening, after a wild shooting injured eight people during a barbecue in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.
As CBS 2's Janelle Burrell reported, four men and four women were wounded before the gunman vanished in the early Sunday morning incident.
One of the women was initially listed in critical condition, but her condition had stabilized by 8 a.m. Sunday, police said. All the victims were expected to make a full recovery, police said.
NYPD Sgt. Thomas Antonetti said none of the victims was struck more than once. They were transported to three different hospitals.
But the horrors of the shooting have left many shaken.
"There was basically nowhere to run. It was chaotic," said Aaron Strahan, who lives at the home where the shooting happened on East 52nd Street in East Flatbush. "People were laying on the floor. People were banging on my door, trying to get in. People were trying everything possible to stay alive.
Strachan's nephew was hosting the event. Strachan said the commotion started when a fight broke out shortly before 1 a.m., and one of the men involved left and came back – bypassing the party's security with a gun.
"This guy just went out, came back in and just started shooting," Strachan said.
Neighbors said they were shocked to learn of the early morning shooting.
Shooting At East Flatbush House Party Leaves 8 People Hospitalized
"This is a quiet, beautiful neighborhood. There's nothing really going on here in this neighborhood," a resident named Calvin told WCBS 880's Monica Miller.
"Well, I heard gunshots last night and I hit the floor because it sounded like it was coming into the room. I said somebody must've gotten shot because it was definitely gunshots," a neighbor told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck.
Shooting At East Flatbush House Party Leaves 8 People Hospitalized
"I thought it was firecrackers due to Fourth of July next Thursday," said neighbor Makiani Diaz. "I look out the window, people were running."
Hours later, detectives were still processing the scene looking for clues, and going door-to-door questioning neighbors.
The party hosts said they do not know the shooter, and they hope he is located and arrested soon.
"I just hope he gets caught, really and truly," Strachan said. "Just come into a party -- people having a good time -- and just start shooting people, it's not right."
For most of the day, police had the block shut down as they continued combing the scene for evidence. Their hope was that as witnesses recovered, they would cooperate and help police identify the suspect.
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