Fourth of July celebrations across the country were marred by violence that left at least six people dead and scores injured in multiple cities.
In Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood, a man in a black ski mask opened fire on a family barbecue late Saturday night, wounding at least eight people, including four children; a 21-year-old woman remained in critical condition after being shot in the chest, and the gunman fled on foot as authorities worked to identify and apprehend him, New York City police said.
In Pensacola, a 19-year-old was killed and six others were wounded by gunfire in downtown Pensacola after 1 a.m. Sunday; Pensacola Police Chief Eric Winstrom said the shooting appeared targeted, that no one was in custody and that "the youngest victim in this case was 16. The age range was 16 to 26 of the seven victims — very young, innocent kids out there."
Police in Fort Wayne, Indiana, said a shooting after 3 a.m. Sunday on the 2200 block of Oliver Street left one woman dead and eight adults treated for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, the Fort Wayne Police Department said.
Gary, Indiana, police responded to two separate shootings early Sunday. At 12:34 a.m. in the area of 19th Avenue and Hanley Street, six gunshot victims took themselves to a hospital; at 12:49 a.m. on the 200 block of Chase Street a 10-year-old boy and a 50-year-old man took themselves to a hospital, the boy was later pronounced dead and the 50-year-old remained in critical condition, and investigations into both shootings remain ongoing, Gary police said.
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were called to an apartment complex in the 700 block of West Laurel Street around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, where deputies estimated 250-300 people were attending a July 4th party. Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, 19, was identified by family members as the woman who died at the scene, and Eric Washington, 37, a community engagement manager for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and a former aide to Assemblymember Mike Gipson, later died from his injuries at a hospital. Three others — a man, a woman and a girl — were taken to hospitals as well. Investigators are still searching for the suspected shooter, and at last check no arrests had been announced.
HACLA said Washington joined the organization in 2019 as an intern, returned in 2022 as a community relations specialist and later advanced to community engagement manager. "Eric exemplified the values that define HACLA," said HACLA President and CEO Lourdes Castro Ramírez. Build Hope Inc., HACLA's nonprofit affiliate, said it will establish the Eric Washington Community Impact Award to honor a young person whose leadership, service and commitment to community reflect Washington's values. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement calling Washington a "devoted public servant."
Dozens of loved ones and community members gathered for a vigil and rally against gun violence at Compton City Hall on Monday to honor victims of the weekend's shootings in Compton. "My daughter was going to UNLV to be a nurse. She had a dream to be a travel nurse for neonatal. She was full of life, very compassionate," said Ebone Jenkins, Meah Bordenave-Jenkins' mother. "She wanted to be a nurse. She was entering her sophomore year. Her first year, she took bio and chem in the same year," said Kayla Jenkins, Meah's sister. "He would get on the phone and call whoever he knew... call Mike Gipson, call Tim, anybody he knew to help the residents and the community get whatever they needed to get done," said Tina Johnson, Washington's mother. Several speakers at the vigil said more needs to be done to end gun violence, and one speaker said, "This should be one of the last times we have to get together to talk about ending gun violence, because someone who was advocating for ending gun violence was has been harmed by gun violence."
Sheriff's deputies also responded to a homicide investigation near Grandee Avenue and 132nd Street around 12:10 a.m. Sunday, where one man was pronounced dead at the scene and another was sent to the hospital for treatment. "This community of Compton gotta wake up. We gotta wake up. Black men gotta wake up," said Kenneth Clark, the victim's uncle. Police said there is no evidence that the second shooting and the incident on West Laurel Street are related.
Four people were injured in a shooting on the evening of July 3 in Dayton, Ohio’s Oregon District, and all four suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the Oregon District Business Association said; Association President Asha Parson said the shooting occurred after businesses and bars had closed and after security and police had ended their shifts for the night.
In Canton, Ohio, a 46-year-old woman was shot in the back while asleep in bed after a man and others reportedly fired weapons into the air and set off fireworks late Friday night; the woman was hospitalized in critical condition and Darius J. Leishman, 24, was arrested and charged with felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation.
Canton Police Chief John Gabbard said, "'Celebratory gunfire' is dangerous and illegal. It is heartbreaking that this victim had to suffer critical injuries to serve as an example of what should be clear and obvious to everyone."
In St. Louis, Missouri, a 17-year-old boy was killed in a shooting around 12 a.m. Saturday on the 2100 block of Linton Avenue, and two other victims, both 16-year-old boys, were dropped off at a hospital with gunshot wounds, police said.
In Chino, California, a fireworks explosion believed to have been caused by a large quantity of ignited fireworks killed one person and critically injured two others after police responded to a reported vehicle fire on the 5600 block of D Street at 8:30 p.m. Saturday; three adults were hospitalized with severe injuries, one woman in her 20s later died, and Derion Tradon James Jr., 28, of Hesperia, was detained and booked on an involuntary manslaughter charge while Chino police said the case will be submitted to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office for review and the investigation is ongoing.