BROWNSVILLE, Brooklyn (PIX11) — A child likely accidentally shot a 12-year-old boy in a Brooklyn building lobby on Tuesday night, police said.
The victim was one of eight to 12 kids hanging out inside a building lobby in the 300 block of Bristol Street in Brownsville, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said.
“Based on video and witness accounts, we believe one of the youths removed a magazine from a firearm, pointed it at our victim and pulled that trigger,” Essig said.
Investigators believe the person who fired the gun didn’t realize there was still a bullet in the chamber. There was no dispute or argument before the shooting.
Police recovered one .380 shell casing and a .380 Smith & Wesson firearm, Essig said.
The wounded boy was hospitalized in stable condition, police said. The NYPD has asked anyone with information to come forward.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).