Police say a 17-year-old was shot in the stomach and taken to a hospital in stable condition.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A 17-year-old boy was shot just after midnight on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, leaving him hospitalized in stable condition, police said. The shooting happened around 12 a.m. as officers responded to a report of gunfire along the busy boulevard.
Authorities said the teen was struck in the stomach and taken by emergency crews to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Detectives were working early Thursday to determine what led to the gunfire and whether the teen was the intended target. No arrests were announced, and police said they had not released a suspect description. The intersection where the shooting occurred is a well-traveled stretch of Eastern Parkway that runs through residential blocks and near transit stops, intensifying concerns among neighbors about overnight violence.
Investigators said the call came in shortly after 12 a.m. Officers found the wounded teen on the parkway and secured the scene while EMS provided care. “The victim was transported to the hospital in stable condition,” police said. By sunrise, crime scene tape still cordoned off a portion of the block as detectives canvassed for witnesses and collected shell casings. Residents described hearing a burst of shots and then sirens converging on the area. The roadway remained partially blocked for a time as officers searched for surveillance cameras on building facades and near the parkway median.
Police did not immediately provide more details about the teen, including his name. Detectives said it was too early to say whether the shooting stemmed from a dispute, a robbery attempt or another motive. The incident comes as the neighborhood has seen periodic gun violence along Eastern Parkway in recent years, including several high-profile shootings in the fall. In Thursday’s case, officers urged anyone who was in the area around midnight to contact investigators if they saw a person running from the scene or vehicles speeding away. The hospital treating the teen did not release additional information on his condition beyond stable.
Eastern Parkway is a central route in Crown Heights, lined with apartment buildings, houses of worship and community institutions. Overnight traffic is steady, and the corridor is covered by multiple bus routes and subway entrances. Residents say the wide roadway can make it harder to pinpoint where shots come from, especially when gunfire echoes between buildings. In past incidents, detectives have relied heavily on private security footage from lobbies, bodegas and stoops to trace suspects’ movements before and after shootings. Thursday’s investigation followed that playbook, with officers knocking on doors and asking building supers for camera access.
Detectives will review ballistic evidence and canvass local hospitals for any additional victims or walk-ins, standard steps after a shooting. If an arrest is made, charges would likely include assault and weapons possession. Police typically brief the public again once they have a solid suspect description or a vehicle of interest. As of Thursday afternoon, police had not indicated a timeline for the next update or requested a specific search area for a fleeing suspect.
Neighbors who woke to squad cars and flashing lights described a jarring scene. A passerby who lives a few blocks away said he heard several shots and then saw first responders tending to the teen on the sidewalk. A building porter on the morning shift said detectives asked whether cameras on the block captured anyone running north or west from the parkway. Street cleaners later removed debris as traffic returned to normal, though a strip of tape still clung to a pole at the corner.
Police said the teen remained in stable condition Thursday and the investigation was ongoing. Officials did not announce an arrest or release a suspect description by midday. Further updates were expected once detectives complete the initial round of interviews and video reviews.
Author note: Last updated December 4, 2025.