A man was critically injured after being shot in the neck near Crotona Park in the Bronx, as reported by the NYPD. The incident, which occurred on Fulton Avenue and East 173rd Street, unfolded at around 3:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon, according to a release by Gothamist. The victim, 21, was discovered unconscious and was quickly transported to St. Barnabas Hospital for treatment.
Investigators have yet to determine a motive for the shooting, and as of yet, no suspect description has been provided. The same vicinity recently saw patrons enjoying the seasonal opening of the Crotona Park Pool, which operates from 11 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and takes, a cleaning break at 3:00 p.m., as highlighted by NBC New York. The violence erupted just a few steps from the pool's entrance, unsettling what had been a relatively peaceful July 4th weekend.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described this year’s long weekend as the safest in recent memory, despite the shooting. Aside from this incident, there was one homicide on Friday and a fatal stabbing on Saturday after a group altercation in Jamaica, Queens, as per the Gothamist's report.
While citywide crime statistics have shown a decrease, the 42nd Precinct, covering areas such as Claremont, Morrisania, and Crotona Park, has experienced a slight uptick in shootings and homicides over the last year. The aforementioned precincts where the prior incidents took place are witnessing crime levels similar to those of the previous year, as noted by Gothamist.
