Police said four children were among the victims after a masked gunman opened fire near the boardwalk.
NEW YORK — Eight people, including four children, were wounded Saturday night when a gunman opened fire at a July Fourth cookout near Coney Island beach in Brooklyn, police said.
The shooting happened during one of the busiest holiday nights of the year in a neighborhood known for its boardwalk, beach crowds and fireworks. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Sunday that a 21-year-old woman was critically wounded and seven other victims were in stable condition and expected to survive.
The gunfire broke out about 10:30 p.m. in the courtyard of an apartment building near West 30th Street and Surf Avenue, about a block from the Coney Island boardwalk. Police said a family had gathered for a cookout when a suspect wearing a black mask fired into the group and fled. Tisch said police recovered a firearm at the scene. No arrests had been announced as of Sunday.
The wounded children were ages 6, 7, 12 and 14, police said. The adult victims included two women, ages 21 and 25, and two men, ages 33 and 37. Emergency workers took the victims to nearby hospitals. Authorities did not release all of their names. Police said the 21-year-old woman was the only victim listed in critical condition after the shooting.
Officials said there were no reports of trouble at the cookout before the gunfire. Investigators have not publicly identified a motive or said whether the shooter targeted one person or the entire gathering. Police also have not said whether more than one person may have been involved. Detectives were reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses and examining the recovered gun as part of the investigation.
The shooting happened after a day of large crowds in Coney Island, where the Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest and holiday beach events draw thousands of visitors each July Fourth. The attack took place away from the main boardwalk crowd, in a residential courtyard near the beach. Police said the victims were gathered for a family event when the shooting began.
Videos and witness accounts from the scene described a chaotic response as officers and medics reached the wounded. Police moved quickly through the area while emergency lights filled nearby streets. Some witnesses said they saw children being carried away from the scene for medical care. Officials did not report any deaths.
The NYPD investigation remained active Sunday. Detectives were still searching for the gunman and working to determine what led to the shooting.
Author note: Last updated July 5, 2026.