One person was killed and eight others injured after a shooting in Harlem early Monday, police said.
Speaking at a news conference Monday, Brian McGee, deputy chief of the New York City Police Department, said police had been called to numerous reports of people shot at East 139 St. and Fifth Avenue at around 12:40 a.m.
Upon arrival, officers found five people shot on a footpath along the FDR under the Madison Avenue Bridge, he said. All five victims were taken to area hospitals by emergency crews.
Four other victims were transported to hospital by private means, he said.
One of the nine victims, a 21-year-old man, was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital, McGee said. He was later identified as Darius Lee, who lived a block away from the scene of the shooting.
Lee was a guard for the Houston Baptist University Huskies basketball team. The university had recently named him the male student-athlete of the year, and he was on track to graduate with a bachelor's degree in December, the university said. He was seventh in the nation in steals per game among Division I teams, according to NCAA statistics.
"He was a very fine young man who had a very bright future in front of him both on and off the court," Steve Moniaci, HBU's athletic director, said in a statement Monday. "This is unfortunately, yet again, another example of the senseless gun violence that seems to be plaguing our country right now and we all pray it will cease."
McGee, the commanding officer for the area, said two female victims and six male victims were among those injured.
He said police believed the incident had unfolded at a gathering or "something of that nature," but were still investigating.
He did not provide details on any potential suspects and it is unclear what led to the deadly incident. A firearm was recovered at the scene, police said, but as of Monday afternoon there had been no arrests yet.
Speaking at the same news conference, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell lamented the fact that the shooting had unfolded on a holiday weekend.
"It’s Father’s Day weekend. It’s a weekend where people were supposed to be able to enjoy themselves with their families, but we’re here to provide an update to New Yorkers about multiple people shot early this morning," he said.
"The emboldened individuals responsible for this are exactly who our officers are battling every day to make our city safe," Sewell said.
"While we are making some headway against violence, we have a lot of work to do. But we need help alongside the entire criminal justice system," he added, as he called on anyone with information about the shooting to contact Crime Stoppers.
McGee also issued a call for more information, saying: "We know that there were a lot of people out there. We need them to call 1-800-577-TIPS."
One person was killed and eight others injured after a shooting in Harlem early Monday, police said.
Speaking at a news conference Monday, Brian McGee, deputy chief of the New York City Police Department, said police had been called to numerous reports of people shot at East 139 St. and Fifth Avenue at around 12:40 a.m.
Upon arrival, officers found five people shot on a footpath along the FDR under the Madison Avenue Bridge, he said. All five victims were taken to area hospitals by emergency crews.
Four other victims were transported to hospital by private means, he said.
One of the nine victims, a 21-year-old man, was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital, McGee said. He was later identified as Darius Lee, who lived a block away from the scene of the shooting.
Lee was a guard for the Houston Baptist University Huskies basketball team. The university had recently named him the male student-athlete of the year, and he was on track to graduate with a bachelor's degree in December, the university said. He was seventh in the nation in steals per game among Division I teams, according to NCAA statistics.
"He was a very fine young man who had a very bright future in front of him both on and off the court," Steve Moniaci, HBU's athletic director, said in a statement Monday. "This is unfortunately, yet again, another example of the senseless gun violence that seems to be plaguing our country right now and we all pray it will cease."
McGee, the commanding officer for the area, said two female victims and six male victims were among those injured.
He said police believed the incident had unfolded at a gathering or "something of that nature," but were still investigating.
He did not provide details on any potential suspects and it is unclear what led to the deadly incident. A firearm was recovered at the scene, police said, but as of Monday afternoon there had been no arrests yet.
Speaking at the same news conference, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell lamented the fact that the shooting had unfolded on a holiday weekend.
"It’s Father’s Day weekend. It’s a weekend where people were supposed to be able to enjoy themselves with their families, but we’re here to provide an update to New Yorkers about multiple people shot early this morning," he said.
"The emboldened individuals responsible for this are exactly who our officers are battling every day to make our city safe," Sewell said.
"While we are making some headway against violence, we have a lot of work to do. But we need help alongside the entire criminal justice system," he added, as he called on anyone with information about the shooting to contact Crime Stoppers.
McGee also issued a call for more information, saying: "We know that there were a lot of people out there. We need them to call 1-800-577-TIPS."