Two teenagers were injured on Halloween night as gunshots disrupted the festive atmosphere on Manhattan's Upper West Side packed with costumed children and families. A 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man became the unintended casualties in what should have been a safe haven for trick-or-treaters, according to police reported by The Daily News.
The incident occurred near West 71st Street and Amsterdam Avenue around 6:30 p.m. The 17-year-old was found with a leg wound and was seen, limping into a nearby McDonald's where his friends provided makeshift aid until medics arrived. Another victim, the 19-year-old man, sustained injuries to his arm and shoulder; he independently sought treatment at Mt. Sinai Hospital, "police said.
Witnesses described chaos as both children and parents fled the scene amidst the gunshots. "There were lots of kids out here trick-or-treating with their moms. They all ran screaming," a street vendor anonymously told The Daily News. In contrast, some bystanders initially doubted the severity of the event due to the holiday's theatrical backdrop. According to Eyewitness News, the amalgamation of law enforcement and curious onlookers converged at the McDonald's establishing an uncommon crime scene amid the celebrations.
Local resident, Eric Papa, expressed his frustration and concern about the recurring gatherings of young people at the crime scene location. "These kids are always under my scaffolding smoking marijuana and shooting craps on the sidewalk," Papa said, "There are always fist fights. I told them to leave I don’t know how many times. It's madness. None of them live around here. Where are the police?”—his account offers a glimpse into the underlying tensions that pre-exist such outbursts of violence.
Authorities are on the lookout for two suspects believed to be in their 20s, last seen heading south on Amsterdam Avenue on a bicycle. Descriptions provided by the police include one suspect wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, black pants, and a gray backpack, and the other suspect donning a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. No arrests have been made as of yet, and the investigation continues, according to both The Daily News and Eyewitness News.
