Two innocent bystanders — a 1-year-old girl and a 32-year-old man — were wounded during a Bronx shooting in broad daylight Monday afternoon, when a gunman opened fire on a Melrose street and a bullet fragment blew out the window of a parked car carrying the infant and a teenager. Police said neither victim appears to have been the intended target, and no arrests have been made.
TL;DR: Gunfire erupted around 4 p.m. Monday in front of 726 Courtlandt Ave. in the Bronx’s Melrose neighborhood, striking a 32-year-old man in the ankle. A fragment also hit a parked 2023 Honda Civic carrying a 16-year-old girl and a 1-year-old girl, shattering the glass; the teen was unharmed, while the baby suffered minor injuries from the flying glass. EMS took both victims to Lincoln Hospital, where they are in stable condition. The NYPD is investigating and has made no arrests.
How the shooting unfolded
According to the NYPD, the gunfire broke out around 4 p.m. in front of 726 Courtlandt Ave. A 32-year-old man was struck in the ankle by a bullet. A parked 2023 Honda Civic with two passengers inside was also hit — a bullet fragment struck the vehicle and shattered a window, sending glass flying through the car.
The Civic was carrying a 16-year-old girl and a 1-year-old girl who is her relative. The teenager escaped injury, but the shattered glass left the 1-year-old with minor injuries. EMS crews rushed to the scene and transported both victims to Lincoln Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.
Law enforcement sources said the teen and the infant did not know the 32-year-old man who was shot, and neither victim is believed to have been the gunman’s intended target.
Surveillance video captures the gunman
Dramatic surveillance video obtained from the scene, as reported by the New York Post, shows the moments before the shooting. A shadowy figure dressed in all black is seen walking up the block with a hand in a pocket, just in front of the parked Honda. The person then pulls out a gun and appears to fire at someone across the street, off-camera. It is unclear from the clip whether that same gunfire is what shattered the Civic’s glass, but the shooter is then seen fleeing.
The video’s aftermath shows a man emerging from a nearby building to check on the Honda’s passengers, then quickly rushing them inside to safety.
Neighbors stunned by daylight violence
The shooting happened in the middle of a weekday afternoon on a block residents described as ordinarily calm. Neighbor Just Moore said he was walking home from grocery shopping with his 11-month-old when he stumbled upon the scene. “It’s stuff like this that’s the reason I don’t wear headphones when I’m out with her,” Moore said. “You always have to be aware of something that’s going on.”
Moore said he wasn’t surprised a shooting happened in the Bronx — but was surprised it happened on his block, at that hour. “It’s a dangerous situation in a relatively quiet area in a relatively quiet time of the day,” he said.
Local resident David Valentin was watching television at home when he heard between eight and ten gunshots. “I said ‘it sounds like a gun, but it’s school time,'” he said, calling the broad daylight shooting “crazy.” Valentin added of the shooter: “Whatever person did that, they have to find him and get him off the streets.”
Investigation ongoing, no arrests yet
The NYPD said no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are working to identify the gunman seen in the surveillance footage and determine who the intended target was. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the NYPD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when did the Bronx shooting happen?
The shooting happened around 4 p.m. Monday, October 12, in front of 726 Courtlandt Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx, New York.
Who was hurt in the shooting?
A 32-year-old man was struck in the ankle by a bullet. A 1-year-old girl suffered minor injuries from shattered glass. A 16-year-old girl who was also in the car was not hurt.
How was the baby injured?
The 1-year-old was inside a parked 2023 Honda Civic when a bullet fragment struck the vehicle and shattered a window. Flying glass caused her minor injuries. She is the 16-year-old passenger’s relative.
Was the baby the gunman’s target?
No. Law enforcement sources said neither the infant nor the 32-year-old man is believed to have been the intended target, and the teen and infant did not know the wounded man. The gunman appeared to be firing at someone across the street, off-camera.
What does the surveillance video show?
Surveillance video shows a figure dressed in all black walking up the block with a hand in a pocket, just in front of the Honda. The person then pulls out a gun and appears to fire at someone across the street before fleeing. It is unclear whether that gunfire shattered the Civic’s glass. The video also shows a man rushing the car’s passengers inside a nearby building afterward.
What condition are the victims in?
EMS took both victims to Lincoln Hospital, where they are in stable condition.
Has anyone been arrested?
No arrests have been made, and the NYPD’s investigation is ongoing. Detectives are working to identify the shooter seen in surveillance footage.
What are neighbors saying?
Neighbors described the block as relatively quiet and were shocked by gunfire in the middle of a weekday afternoon. One resident, David Valentin, said he heard eight to ten shots and urged police to “find him and get him off the streets.” Another, Just Moore, said the shooting is why he stays alert while out with his own 11-month-old.
