6 Shot Near NYC’s 2025 West Indian Day Parade, Police Say

BROOKLYN, NY — What began as a vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture in Brooklyn ended in violence Monday evening, when at least six people were shot along the West Indian Day Parade route, according to authorities.

The first shots rang out around 5:37 p.m., while crowds were still lingering in the streets after the parade had ended, officials said. The shooting occurred near 1098 Eastern Parkway, between Schenectady and Utica Avenues.

A man in his 20s was shot in the leg, and a woman in her 40s was grazed by a bullet in the lower back, according to police. Both were rushed to Kings County Hospital in stable condition.

Less than an hour later, at approximately 6:12 p.m., officers responded to a report of a slashing at Eastern Parkway and Nostrand Avenue, police added. He declined medical attention at the scene and was uncooperative with investigators, reports said.

At 6:46 p.m., gunfire erupted again near Classon Avenue and Eastern Parkway, where two men, a 36-year-old and a 21-year-old, were struck in the shoulder. One victim was taken by ambulance to Kings County Hospital, while the other arrived by private vehicle, officials said.

At around 6:55 p.m., a 53-year-old man was shot in both the neck and leg outside Yard Pot Restaurant and Bakery on Nostrand Avenue near Sterling Street. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. A 40-year-old woman was also injured in the same incident, suffering a gunshot wound to her ankle. She arrived at the hospital separately and was listed in stable condition.

According to police, all the shooting victims were wounded between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., in the hours after the official festivities had ended. Most of the victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The West Indian Day Parade — New York City’s own take on Caribbean Carnival — began at 10 a.m. Monday on Utica Avenue and was scheduled to continue through 6 p.m., drawing thousands of revelers to the streets of Brooklyn.

In anticipation of large crowds and potential safety concerns, the NYPD had deployed thousands of officers specifically for the parade, in addition to a broader citywide presence of 2,500 officers over the long weekend.

Police also concentrated patrols in known hot spots across various neighborhoods as part of a larger anti-violence effort aimed at curbing end-of-summer crime, officials said.

Despite the heightened security, gunfire erupted along the parade route and nearby areas.

As of Tuesday morning, authorities had not announced any arrests.