USA Alert: 10 injured in shooting in North Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City, NY on July 31; reiterates threat to bystanders amid uptick in violent crimes

Aug 2021

9:37 UTC

Please be advised

During the evening hours (local time) on July 31, two masked assailants reportedly fired multiple times at a large crowd outside a barbershop and restaurant in the North Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City, NY. 10 people were injured before the assailants fled the scene on scooters along with two other men.
Authorities stated that three of the victims were known members of Trinitarios, a predominantly Dominican street gang, while seven other victims were bystanders. None of the injuries were life-threatening. An investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made as of writing.
On July 6, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a gun violence emergency in New York State, being the first US state to make such a declaration after 51 shootings were recorded over the July 4 holiday weekend. Further, he signed legislation that would allow victims of gun violence to sue firearms manufacturers, as well as tightening gun control measures, among others.
On July 31, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported that 18 people were shot across the city in a span of 24 hours in six separate incidents. As of July 31, New York City has recorded 898 shootings in 2021, compared with 771 over the same period last year, an increase of over 16 percent.

Assessments

The fact that two assailants arrived on the scene armed while two accomplices were waiting on getaway scooters in the vicinity of the incident suggests that the shooting was coordinated and premeditated. As three of the victims were known Trinitarios gang members, they were likely the intended targets of the shooting. In addition to the brazenness of the attack, that the shooting involved a number of factors that have been present in recent gang-related shootings, including multiple weapons, scooters, and masks, further indicating that the incident is linked with organized crime groups.
That the shooting occurred in the North Corona neighborhood, an area where gun violence is relatively rare, suggests that gang-related violence is spreading into new neighborhoods of the borough, possibly amid turf wars between local gangs. Thus, the incident reiterates the elevated threat to bystanders in New York City amid an uptick in indiscriminate gang-related shootings. With the city also witnessing a surge in other violent crimes, including aggravated assaults and robberies, in recent weeks, the incident reiterates an overall deterioration of the city’s security landscape amid the pandemic.
FORECAST: The incident is expected to prompt calls for increased intervention by law enforcement to target gun violence, including enhanced coordination between federal, state, and city agencies, in the near-term. In addition, calls for expanding the Police Department’s gang unit, including increased funding for the department and hiring of informants, are likely. That said, given the pandemic’s impact on activities of organized crime groups, as well as rising unemployment, the threat of violent crimes, including gang-related shootings, is likely to remain elevated in the near-to-medium term.

Recommendations

Travel to the USA can continue while maintaining vigilance due to the potential for gang-related violence in New York City.
If alerted to suspicious activity, inform authorities immediately.
If a potential shooting or similar incident manifests, it is advised to leave the area immediately, if possible, or take shelter at a secure location.

Low

New York City, NY, USA

Medium

Credible

Please be advised

During the evening hours (local time) on July 31, two masked assailants reportedly fired multiple times at a large crowd outside a barbershop and restaurant in the North Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City, NY. 10 people were injured before the assailants fled the scene on scooters along with two other men.
Authorities stated that three of the victims were known members of Trinitarios, a predominantly Dominican street gang, while seven other victims were bystanders. None of the injuries were life-threatening. An investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made as of writing.
On July 6, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a gun violence emergency in New York State, being the first US state to make such a declaration after 51 shootings were recorded over the July 4 holiday weekend. Further, he signed legislation that would allow victims of gun violence to sue firearms manufacturers, as well as tightening gun control measures, among others.
On July 31, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported that 18 people were shot across the city in a span of 24 hours in six separate incidents. As of July 31, New York City has recorded 898 shootings in 2021, compared with 771 over the same period last year, an increase of over 16 percent.

Assessments

The fact that two assailants arrived on the scene armed while two accomplices were waiting on getaway scooters in the vicinity of the incident suggests that the shooting was coordinated and premeditated. As three of the victims were known Trinitarios gang members, they were likely the intended targets of the shooting. In addition to the brazenness of the attack, that the shooting involved a number of factors that have been present in recent gang-related shootings, including multiple weapons, scooters, and masks, further indicating that the incident is linked with organized crime groups.
That the shooting occurred in the North Corona neighborhood, an area where gun violence is relatively rare, suggests that gang-related violence is spreading into new neighborhoods of the borough, possibly amid turf wars between local gangs. Thus, the incident reiterates the elevated threat to bystanders in New York City amid an uptick in indiscriminate gang-related shootings. With the city also witnessing a surge in other violent crimes, including aggravated assaults and robberies, in recent weeks, the incident reiterates an overall deterioration of the city’s security landscape amid the pandemic.
FORECAST: The incident is expected to prompt calls for increased intervention by law enforcement to target gun violence, including enhanced coordination between federal, state, and city agencies, in the near-term. In addition, calls for expanding the Police Department’s gang unit, including increased funding for the department and hiring of informants, are likely. That said, given the pandemic’s impact on activities of organized crime groups, as well as rising unemployment, the threat of violent crimes, including gang-related shootings, is likely to remain elevated in the near-to-medium term.

Recommendations

Travel to the USA can continue while maintaining vigilance due to the potential for gang-related violence in New York City.
If alerted to suspicious activity, inform authorities immediately.
If a potential shooting or similar incident manifests, it is advised to leave the area immediately, if possible, or take shelter at a secure location.

Low

New York City, NY, USA

Medium

Credible

USA Alert: 10 injured in shooting in North Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City, NY on July 31; reiterates threat to bystanders amid uptick in violent crimes

Please be advised

Assessments

Recommendations

Please be advised

Assessments

Recommendations

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