Deadly Brooklyn lounge shooting sparked by argument between 2 gunmen, NYPD says
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- New York City police believe a deadly mass shooting at a Brooklyn lounge over the weekend stemmed from an argument between two men.
At least 14 people were shot at the Taste of the City Lounge on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights around 3 a.m. Sunday.
Police say 19-year-old Marvin St. Louis and 35-year-old Jamel Childs spoke briefly inside the lounge.
Authorities say 10 minutes later, St. Louis approached Childs and opened fire. Detectives say Childs and two other gunmen fired back.
Officials say at least 42 shots rang out.
St. Louis and Childs were killed, along with 27-year-old Amadou Diallo. Officials believe Diallo was an innocent bystander.
Video from inside shows a crush of people inside the lounge running for their lives.
"I said, 'oh lord they are shooting,' I heard 'bap, bap,' oh lord, I said, 'lord have mercy.' My heart just dropped," said a witness named Brenda, who was inside the crowded lounge.
Nine other victims were taken to nearby hospitals in stable condition, but during the investigation, police were informed of two additional victims who showed up at local hospitals with gunshot wounds to the body. They are listed in stable condition.
Childs is connected to the Folk Nation gang, as are three others who survived.
"So to be clear, two of the three deceased are the shooters involved in the incident," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference Monday. "Childs has eight prior arrests and is listed in our criminal data base as a member of Folk Nation, a violent gang that terrorizes Brooklyn and is responsible for a half-dozen shootings so far this year."
David Fletcher, who lives three doors down from the lounge, said there's been gunshots and altercations there before.
"Obviously horrified that anyone would lose their lives, but also really they are just letting lots of people in with their guns," Fletcher said.
Brenda says she also has concerns about the security in lounge.
"They got security, they are smoking weed with the people, that's not professional," she said. "The lounge is not bad itself, but the company that's coming in, a lot of gang guys, a lot of gang-related and you don't know what's going to pop off."
It's not clear how all those weapons got past the metal detector.
A vigil was held Monday night for the victims of the shooting. Both Mayor Eric Adams and Commissioner Tisch spoke, vowing to quell the violence.
"We don't manufacture guns in New York City," Mayor Adams said. "So, why are they finding our way on the streets? We need help from the federal authorities to finally put an end to this senseless violence."
Eyewitness News spoke to a relative of Diallo, who says he came to the U.S. from West Africa two years ago to work.
"So, he was doing the delivery, DoorDash and Uber, gaining in his life with honesty, without stealing nothing. No problem. Never had any problem here," said Diallo's relative Mamdou Sansoussy through a translator.
Meanwhile, NYPD officers are still looking for the other two gunmen in the shooting.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
