A shooting broke out in Harlem on Sunday night at around 12:35 am. Seven men and two women were shot, one fatally. 

According to NYPD Deputy Chief Brian McGee, officers responding to a call at Fifth Avenue and East 139th Street discovered five victims on the Harlem River Drive walking path under the Madison Avenue Bridge. EMS units rushed them to area hospitals. Four other wounded individuals had already been transported to local hospitals on their own. 

At a press conference near the crime scene, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said, “The emboldened individuals responsible for this are exactly who our officers are battling every day to make our city safe.”

Police are unclear how the incident started, but they believe there were multiple shooters at what appears to have been a barbecue celebration. 

The victims’ ages ranged from 21-42. A 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital. The other eight victims are believed to have non life threatening injuries.

A police investigation is ongoing. A handgun was found at the crime scene. 

As of June 20, there have been 277 mass shootings in the US since the start of 2022, according to Gun Violence Archive.

Anyone with information regarding the mass shooting can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA), submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or Twitter @NYPDTips.