A New York City police detective and four children were wounded during separate shootings that occurred over the Fourth of July holiday weekend in Brooklyn. The incidents highlighted the surge in gun violence during the holiday period.
Detective Robert Karroll of the Sex Offender Monitoring Unit was shot in the back of his ballistic vest during an encounter with an armed 18‑year‑old in Crown Heights early Sunday morning. He was transported to Kings County Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
A second officer sustained contusions to the face and shoulder during the same encounter. The injuries were treated on scene and the officer was later released.
Scott Munro, president of the Detectives' Endowment Association, condemned the violence at a news conference. He urged that the trend must end and praised officers for their dedication.
Officers assigned to a mobile field force detail were parked in an unmarked police vehicle near Nostrand Avenue and St. Johns Place at 4:14 a.m. ET when a person approached. The shooting occurred quickly and unexpectedly, and no body‑camera footage was available to clarify the circumstances.
In Coney Island, four children were injured in a separate shooting that left at least eight people shot. The victims included two men, two women, and children aged 14, 12, 7 and 6, all transported to hospitals; seven were in stable condition and one 21‑year‑old woman was critical.
Officers attempted to engage the armed suspect before firing; the suspect was not hit. The police vehicle sustained ballistic damage, including bullet holes in the front and rear windshields and on the passenger side. After a foot chase, the suspect was apprehended several blocks away near Rogers Avenue and Union Street, resisted arrest, and was taken into custody after officers deployed a taser. A SAR 9mm firearm was recovered.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed relief that Detective Karroll, a husband and father of three, survived the shooting. He praised the protective gear that prevented serious injury.
The officers had been reassigned to the area shortly before midnight as part of the department’s Fourth of July violence reduction plan targeting crew violence. The plan aims to address ongoing crew conflicts.
Investigators are canvassing nearby businesses for surveillance footage to supplement the lack of body‑camera video. The footage may help clarify the events leading to the shooting.
