A West Indian music festival in Mount Prospect Park in Brooklyn turned tragic after two teenagers were shot on Sunday night.
Brooklyn teenagers Jordan Lewis, 14, and Aakif Murray, 16, were enjoying an afternoon picnic with their family and friends. The boys were getting ready to leave the park when shots were fired. According to police, one teenager was shot in the hip and the other was shot in the torso. Both boys were taken to New York Methodist Hospital in Park Slope and are said to be in stable condition.
Kersha Thompson, Lewis’ aunt, told The New York Times that no one present knew who the gunman was or the motive behind the shooting. Thompson believes the boys were innocent bystanders who were hit by stray bullets.
Police officers scoured the area in search of a gunman, looking for potential evidence. 9-millimeter shell casings were recovered. As of this morning, the gunman has not been identified.
Local officials have been speaking out against gun violence, citing both mass shootings across the country and violence at home on New York City streets. Earlier this month, Public Advocate Letitia James called on the city to divest from Walmart stock because the retailer is the largest gun seller in the country.
“Guns are an instrument of death, and no one sells guns better than Walmart,” said James. “We cannot allow New York City pension dollars to fuel gun violence.”
The city’s five pension funds have invested close to $300 million in the store. James is a trustee on The New York City Employee Retirement System, which is the largest fund. It owns 1.4 million shares in the company, which are worth $109 million.
“The culture of violence and access to guns in America is a tragic fact, but it also reminds us that the sale of guns and ammunition is a profitable but uncertain business,” said James.
