Police shoot, arrest 4 gunmen who opened fire at party

NEW YORK (WCBS) - Plainclothes New York detectives got into a gunfight outside a party in the Queens borough. Four suspects, including two teens, were wounded in the exchange.

Shots rang out late Friday night in a quiet Queens community, where New York City Police Department officers were trying to prevent gun violence. Police say members of the Violent Crime Squad learned a party had the potential to grow violent because of local street crews.

Witnesses say the party was mostly for teenagers and may have been held as a sendoff for someone heading to college.

Plainclothes detectives were parked in an unmarked car near the party around 11:30 p.m. when they saw a group of men approach the intersection and pull out guns.

“There was about 75 to 100 people at this party, and now, you have a group of males firing into this group, into this group of people who were partying,” said NYPD Chief of Patrol Jeff Maddrey.

Police say that detectives, realizing danger was imminent, exchanged gunfire with the suspects, injuring and then arresting four of them. The suspects’ ages were 16, 17, 18 and 24. At least two have a criminal history.

Police recovered three guns and say the shooting illustrates “how gun violence continues to beleaguer our communities.”

“Again, I implore members of our community that it’s so important to work together with your police, so we can put it an end to this gun violence,” Maddrey said.

He encouraged the public to call for help when situations look ripe for violence.

None of the NYPD officers involved in the incident were injured. They will be given administrative duties while the officer-involved shooting is investigated.

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