Authorities said Saturday at least one person died and three others were injured, including one in critical condition, in a random scooter shooting incident in which a person started firing on people in Brooklyn and Queens, before being taken into custody.
The New York Police Department said that a gunman riding an illegal scooter without a licence plate opened fire at five different locations in Jamaica, a neighbourhood in the Queens borough, and in Brooklyn.
While speaking at a news conference, Police said: "A 25-year-old man was taken into custody and found with a 9mm pistol with an extended magazine."
Joseph Kenny, the assistant chief in the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, said: “We don’t know the motive. It seems that this is actually random.”
"At this time, the video shows that he’s not targeting anybody, he’s not following anybody. As he’s driving on his scooter, he’s randomly shooting people."
Police said all four victims were male.
Kenny stated: "The five shootings unfolded over about a half an hour and began around 11:10am in Brooklyn. A 21-year-old man was shot once in the left shoulder."
“He was transported to a hospital and is expected to survive. Authorities found a 9-millimeter shell casing at the scene.”
“After the first shooting, detectives accessed video that showed the suspect approaching the victim from behind on a scooter and firing one shot,” authorities added.
They also said: “Seventeen minutes later the same suspect opened fire at an 87-year-old man in Queens and he was dead.”
Kenny told the media that when officers arrived, they learned another shooting incident in which no one was struck by gunfire, however numerous witnesses reported seeing a man riding a scooter randomly firing at a group of people.”
The fourth occurred at 11:35am when a 44-year-old man was shot in the cheek and is in critical condition.
“Less than a minute later, the suspect shot a 63-year-old man in his right shoulder,” Kenny said, adding that “he is stable”.
Authorities underlined that they have not found a serial number on the gun and are launching probe into firearm.