A shooting at a basketball tournament in Harlem left one person dead and two others injured Friday night, according to police and witnesses.
Gunfire erupted around 10:30 p.m. during the Kingdom Basketball Tournament held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Towers, located on Lenox Street between 112th and 115th Streets.
A 35-year-old participant was shot twice in the head—remarkably, he was already down on the ground when the second shot hit him. He was rushed to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.
In addition, a 28-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the shin, while a 22-year-old woman’s right forearm was grazed by a bullet. Thankfully, both are reported to be in stable condition at Harlem Hospital.
The name of the deceased man has not yet been released, but authorities confirmed he was from Brooklyn.
So far, no arrests have been made, and the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, as per a police spokesperson.
A man known as “Freak” remarked that it was the first day of this renowned tournament, which had been delayed by rain the day prior. “This has to stop,” he expressed. “I had my kids do these projects.”
He mentioned that roughly 500 people had gathered to watch the games.
“Today should have been a celebration for the community—there might not be another day quite like this,” he added. “We definitely need more police presence.”
Jessica Montgomery, a resident of the tower for a decade, shared her experience of the chaos. She was present when she heard the shots go off.
“At first, it sounded like fireworks,” the 45-year-old recalled. Then, as the distinct sound rang out again, panic ensued, and people began to flee.
A witness who identified himself as “Waby” described seeing paramedics working on the victim. “He was one of the players,” Waby explained. “He was just warming up for his next game.”
Interestingly, a mural that had been painted on the court just a day earlier depicted Will Frazier handing a championship trophy to New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
“I just can’t believe this young man came out here to play basketball and now he’s not going home tonight,” Wavey noted, reflecting the grim reality of the night’s events.
