An incident occurred at Haffen Park in the Bronx during a basketball tournament last Saturday, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. ABC7 New York reported that the shooting erupted around 7:30 p.m. in the park located off Gunther Ave in Baychester, where police later recovered dozens of bullet shell casings.
The gunfire resulted in a deadly toll, with a 30-year-old man pronounced dead at Jacobi Hospital and a 32-year-old man shot in the back now in critical condition. Also reported by CBS News New York, an injured 17-year-old girl was shot in the face, apart from two other victims, who are said to be in stable condition after receiving treatment for their injuries.
In a statement obtained by ABC7 New York, longtime resident Nicholas Thompson expressed his disbelief, saying, "I've lived here for 50 years -- I've never seen ... the area is getting gentrified, you know, there's a lot of people coming back and forth. I'm kind of shocked at what's going on because it's been peaceful lately, for the last, I'd say 10-12 years, it's been very good."
Following the incident, the NYPD has taken four individuals into custody, with charges pending as the investigation proceeds. Authorities are working to determine whether the shooter or shooters were participants in the tournament or spectators. According to a neighbor’s account to CBS News New York, at least two dozen shots were fired. The entire nine-acre park was secured by police late into the night as they carefully marked and collected evidence.
Police are calling for any potential witnesses or anyone with information regarding the Haffen Park shooting to reach out to the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or send a message to NYPDTips over the online platform X.
