Ten young people were wounded in a mass shooting outside a New York nightclub, police said Thursday.
The explosion of violence outside the Amazura nightclub in Jamaica, Queens might involve gangs — but was not terrorism, NYPD Chief of Patrol Philip Rivera said at a press conference.
At least three gunmen opened fire about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday as about 15 people were waiting outside the club hoping to get in, cops said.
The 10 victims, six females and four males, all in the age range of about 16 to 20, were hospitalized with wounds not considered life-threatening.
Four young men, at least three of whom opened fire with a barrage of over 30 shots, ran off west on 91st St. and got into a light-colored sedan with out-of-state plates, Rivera said. They have not been caught.
“This is not a terrorist attack,” Rivera said at an overnight press conference at the shooting scene.
“There’s zero tolerance for these senseless shootings, these horrible acts of violence on our streets,” he added. “Those responsible for this crime will be apprehended and brought to justice.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if the shooters had been inside Amazura earlier or who they were targeting.
Cops are trying to determine if the shooting was sparked by tensions between rival gangs.
“That’s one of the avenues we’re pursuing but it’s too early to determine right now,” Rivera said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
Leave a Reply