Nine people were wounded in separate shootings and knife attacks before, during and after Brooklyn’s Labor Day celebration
By the Midtown Times Staff
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Midtown Times) — At least nine people were wounded in separate shootings, stabbings and slashings near Brooklyn’s West Indian American Day Parade on Monday, despite an expanded NYPD deployment, double barricades and an earlier closing time intended to prevent violence.
Police said three people suffered gunshot wounds and six others were injured in knife attacks before, during and shortly after the annual Labor Day festivities. All nine victims were expected to survive.
The violence disrupted portions of an otherwise vibrant celebration that brought thousands of people to Eastern Parkway for Caribbean music, food, elaborate costumes and displays of national pride.
The first attacks occurred shortly before the official start of J’Ouvert, the early-morning celebration preceding the parade. At approximately 5:48 a.m., officers found a 23-year-old man stabbed in the neck and a 36-year-old man stabbed in the face near Utica Avenue and Carroll Street.
About 20 minutes later, a 32-year-old man was discovered with a stab wound to the neck near Utica Avenue and President Street. A fourth victim, 20, later arrived at Kings County Hospital with a slash wound to the chin.
In a separate incident at approximately 6 a.m., a 25-year-old man was slashed in the face near Eastern Parkway and Nostrand Avenue. Police said the five early-morning victims were hospitalized and expected to recover. No arrests had been announced in those attacks as of Tuesday. ABC7 New York reported details of the early incidents.
Gunfire interrupts afternoon celebration
The West Indian American Day Parade began at 11 a.m., with masqueraders, musicians, cultural organizations and elected officials traveling along Eastern Parkway toward Grand Army Plaza.
At about 4 p.m., a 24-year-old man was shot near 800 Nostrand Avenue at St. John’s Place, just north of Eastern Parkway. Police took a person of interest into custody and recovered a firearm.
Approximately five minutes later, gunfire erupted at Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue. A 37-year-old woman was shot in the leg, while a 19-year-old man suffered graze wounds to both legs.
Police said two people fled toward Albany Avenue following the second shooting. All three gunshot victims were transported to Kings County Hospital in stable condition. Police continued investigating both shootings.
Another violent incident occurred shortly after the parade’s scheduled 5:30 p.m. conclusion. A 32-year-old man was stabbed in the leg near Brooklyn Avenue and Eastern Parkway, bringing the day’s reported number of victims to nine. News 12 Brooklyn reported that all nine were expected to recover.
Extensive security measures unable to prevent every incident
City officials had announced one of the NYPD’s largest deployments of the year ahead of the festivities. Thousands of officers were stationed along the parade route and in nearby neighborhoods.
A double row of steel barricades stretched across nearly two miles of Eastern Parkway. Police also deployed mounted units, K-9 teams, drones, aviation officers, counterterrorism personnel, intelligence officers and members of the Emergency Service Unit.
For J’Ouvert, spectators were directed through 13 controlled entrances and screened with metal-detection equipment. Weapons, alcohol, large bags, coolers, drones, chairs, umbrellas and several other items were prohibited inside the secured areas.
The main parade was ordered to conclude at 5:30 p.m., approximately 30 minutes earlier than in previous years. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the earlier closing time was chosen because several shootings occurred near the end of the 2025 celebration.
Before Monday’s event, Tisch declared that police would have no tolerance for violence. Officials also said there were no known specific or credible threats against the festivities at the time the security plan was announced.
Eight Crisis Management System teams, consisting of 337 staff members and volunteers, were also deployed to mediate disputes and prevent conflicts from escalating.
Caribbean pride remains at center of celebration
Despite the violent incidents, most of the parade proceeded peacefully as families, performers and spectators celebrated the cultures of Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and other Caribbean nations.
For New York’s Haitian community, the parade represented an important expression of identity and resilience. Haitian groups marched in costumes celebrating the country’s revolutionary history, national heroes, music and cultural traditions.
Participants filled Eastern Parkway with Haitian flags, konpa, rabòday and colorful designs honoring Jean-Jacques Dessalines and other historic figures. The celebration came during a particularly difficult period for Haitian families affected by insecurity in Haiti and immigration uncertainty in the United States. The Associated Press documented the significance of the parade for New York’s Haitian community.
The shootings and knife attacks are likely to prompt renewed discussions among city officials, police, parade organizers and community leaders about whether additional changes are necessary.
While the actions of a small number of individuals again threatened to overshadow the event, the overwhelming majority of participants gathered peacefully to honor Caribbean culture and preserve one of New York City’s most important traditions
