Shots Fired Inside Iconic South Bronx Gym During MLK Tribute Game
January 20, 2020 Kevin Deutsch Crime, Gun Violence, NYPD 0
By Kevin Deutsch
kdeutsch@bronxjusticenews.com
A celebratory MLK day basketball game between high school teams turned violent Monday when a spectator opened fire inside an iconic South Bronx gym, setting off panic in the crowd, authorities said.
Gun blasts were heard shortly before 6 p.m. inside the New York Gauchos gym on Gerard Avenue, as Putnam Science took on Our Savior Lutheran in a holiday tribute game.
Earl Elliot, program director for the Gauchos, said in a statement posted to Twitter that no one was struck by the bullets.
"Unfortunately during a boys HS basketball game today at the Gauchos Gym in the Bronx, during a celebration for (MLK) one of the most iconic peacemakers in history, a reckless spectator decided to shoot off a gun in the crowded gym during the game," Elliot said. "We are fortunate enough that no one was reported injured or shot."
"As we strive to support our young people and the community around us, we will not let this situation darken our bright star that has shined here for the past 53 years," Elliot added.
Organizers at the gym helped facilitate an orderly evacuation after the incident, authorities said, despite fears of an active shooter situation.
No arrests had been announced as of Monday night. Anyone with information is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.
New York Gauchos
Our Savior Lutheran
Putnam Science
About Kevin Deutsch	236 Articles
Kevin Deutsch is a Staff Writer for Bronx Justice News covering the criminal justice system, drugs, and DNA use by law enforcement. An award-winning journalist, Deutsch is the author of the true crime books "Pill City" and "The Triangle." He has worked on staff at the Daily News, Miami Herald, Newsday, The Palm Beach Post, and The Riverdale Press. His work has also appeared in Newsweek, Columbia Journalism Review, The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Forward, The Independent, Huffington Post, Orlando Sentinel, and the New York Post, among other publications. His numerous television appearances include spots on CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN's BookTV. He has also been featured in The New Yorker. A Bronx resident, Deutsch hosts the true crime podcast "A Dark Turn" on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network.
Man Gunned Down in Fordham Heights
Study: Air Pollution, Stress Impacting Mental Health of Bronx Kids
Mass Vaccination Site Opens in Morrisania Amid COVID Surge
COVID Positivity Rate Over 18 Percent in Wakefield
Benefits Boost: Extra $300 in Unemployment Checks Starting Next Week
State Extends COVID Rent Relief Program
With Virus Spreading, No. 1 Train Riders Face Extensive Closures