Gunshots cracked the quiet of a Monday morning in Crown Heights, erupting right in front of a St. John's Place firehouse and sending both police and firefighters scrambling. Multiple rounds were reported fired directly outside the station, and while the scene looked tense, officials said no one was hurt. Officers quickly sealed off the block as investigators fanned out to search for shell casings and surveillance footage.
Police response
According to News 12 New York, video from the scene showed a heavy police presence along St. Johns Place. Authorities told the station that multiple shots were fired directly in front of the firehouse and confirmed that no injuries had been reported.
The firehouse on the block
The stretch of St. John's Place is packed with FDNY activity. The department’s official listing shows Engine 234/Ladder 123 at 1352 Saint John's Place and Engine 280/Ladder 132 at 489 Saint John's Place, according to the FDNY firehouse listing. With two companies so close together, public records do not make it clear which station the initial reports were referring to as detectives work to sort out the details.
Neighborhood context
This block has seen trouble before. Hoodline previously covered an April shooting on the same stretch in a piece about April gunfire on St. John's Place. That earlier incident was one of several violent episodes this spring that neighbors and community groups have flagged to city officials as they push for more attention on local safety.
Investigation ongoing
As seen in video from the scene, officers swept the block and maintained a heavy presence while detectives tried to piece together what happened, according to News 12 New York. Anyone with information is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
