Chaos erupted in the Bronx yesterday afternoon, as a shooting left two innocent bystanders, including an 11-year-old boy, injured. The incident occurred at around 4:40 p.m. near the intersection of East 163rd Street and Washington Avenue, just steps from the 42nd precinct. The NYPD has since been piecing together the shocking event that appears to have caught the young boy and a 20-year-old man in its violent wake.
According to ABC7NY, two males approached and opened fire on a group that was congregated near the front of Boriqua College. Their intended targets were missed, and instead, a passing vehicle with two passengers was struck. The man driving the vehicle sustained a gunshot injury to his shoulder and the boy, caught in the tragedy, was hit by shattered glass. Both the man and the boy were rushed to Lincoln Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
As the police delved deeper into the case, they discovered that the two gunmen had fled the scene on CitiBikes, a detail that underscores the brazenness of the assault in broad daylight. One individual has been apprehended and is being held for questioning in connection to the shooting. The neighborhood, still reeling from the act, echoed the fears and frustrations of local residents. Perla Castro, a mother living in the area, told ABC7NY, "Because it could be, god forbid, my son," and lamented the persistent "delinquency" plaguing the streets.
On the previous day, about half a mile from this shooting, 16-year-old Evette Jeffrey fell victim to another unrelated act of violence, gunned down as a bystander. This string of episodes paints a grim picture of the current climate in Morrisania. Meanwhile, Gothamist reports that despite these back-to-back incidents, shootings in New York City have decreased by more than 15% compared to last year’s data as of May 11, with 229 shootings this year, down from 271 in 2024. Both young victims are now part of a declining, yet still disturbing, statistic.
This recent spike in gun violence begs questions concerning how authorities and communities might better protect innocents from the city's scourge of bullets. Investigations remain ongoing for both shootings, and the NYPD continues its search for the two suspects involved in the latest incident, hoping to provide some measure of justice and security for the residents of the Bronx.
