Police are searching for two suspects after a man was shot in the back in broad daylight in Bedford-Stuyvesant, sending people running for cover.
The shooting happened shortly after 2 p.m. on Marcus Garvey Boulevard. Witnesses say gunfire erupted suddenly, forcing people to seek shelter in a nearby grocery store.
“All I heard was like six shots … and I just saw everybody running,” said Julian Ortega, who was working inside the store at the time. “I got scared.”
Police say the victim, a 42-year-old man, was shot in the back. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, where he is expected to recover.
Neighbors say the violence is alarming, especially in a residential area with schools nearby.
“There are too many weapons in our communities,” said one neighbor.
The shooting also triggered a lockdown at Success Academy on Lafayette Avenue, located just across the street. A student described the moment gunshots were heard.
“We heard gunshots and then we actually locked down, so I kind of got scared,” said Hunter, a fifth grader.
Police say the suspects, described as two men wearing all black, ran from the scene and remain at large.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD.