Shooting on Winthrop and Flatbush This Evening

Winthrop Street was closed off to traffic this evening, after a shooting. Our neighbor Laura, who lives on the block, said the police told her that two teenage boys got in a fight, one pulled a gun, and a stray bullet hit an innocent bystander who was in his car. The victim, who was shot in the leg, was taken to the hospital and is said to be in stable condition.

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[babs]

It was just on the news: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7619653

[Matthew]

Senator Eric Adams held a press conference this afternoon at the site of the shooting, and he urged those in the community who have information to come forward -- he has offered to meet with eyewitnesses and take their information to the police himself if people are not comfortable going to the police. Adams also offered a $5,000 reward for that information.

(For those who are not aware, Adams is a former NYPD officer himself, and he is an advocate not only for effective crime control, but also for regulating police practices. He recently sponsored legislation which is aimed at protecting the rights of citizens who are the subject of routine police stops.)

In response to occurrences like yesterday's, as well as other constituent concerns, Adams is also going to commence a community building initiative aimed at reducing crime, addressing community quality of life concerns, and directing residents to helpful resources. It will likely begin with a simple outreach effort, such as setting up a table on a PLG street corner (and in other neighborhoods in the area) and meeting with neighborhood residents. Through this, Adams hopes to assist members of the community, and he also hopes to get people involved in improving their neighborhoods. If you see Adams manning a table in the neighborhood, or on the street, please do say hello and get involved in identifying the neighborhood's needs and goals, as well as working toward achieving them.