Vigil honors victims of gang-related Brooklyn mass shooting as police search for more gunmen
Moment of silence for community in Crown Heights after nightclub shooting
FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt has the latest from the crime scene.
NEW YORK - A grieving community gathered Monday night to honor the victims of a deadly mass shooting inside a Brooklyn nightclub that left three people dead and 11 others wounded.
Meanwhile, police say they are searching for two additional gunmen in the suspected gang-related shootout.
The vigil was held outside the Taste of the City lounge in Crown Heights, where city leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams and Attorney General Letitia James, joined residents to call for peace and unity.
"I pray that all of us will come together, put down the guns, and recognize that violence is never the answer," James said.
Brooklyn mass shooting latest
Brooklyn nightclub shooting vigil held for victims as police search for gunmen
The NYPD has confirmed that the shooting was gang related and that they are seeking 2 addition gunmen. FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the latest.
What we know:
According to police, the violence erupted around 3:30 a.m. Sunday when two alleged gang members opened fire on each other inside the crowded nightclub. Two additional gunmen joined in, letting off shots.
Fourteen people were shot in the barrage, including nine men and three women ranging in age from 19 to 61.
Victims of the shooting
Two of those killed and three people injured were identified by the NYPD as gang members.
They have been identified as 35-year-old Jamel Childs, a member of the violent Folk Nation gang with multiple prior arrests; 19-year-old Marvin Saint Louis, who had no criminal record; and 27-year-old Ahmadu Diallo, an innocent bystander and food delivery worker.
"He just went to work and never came back," Diallo’s family said through tears at the vigil.
AG James could be seen consoling Diallo’s uncle at the tribute. "There are too many mothers and grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers right now who are crying, and we got the power in our hands to stop the violence," she told the crowd.
AUGUST 17: A view of the crime scene where three people were killed and eight other people are injured in a mass shooting inside of Taste of the City Bar and Lounge on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, United States on August 17,
The names of the 11 other wounded victims have not been released. All are expected to survive.
For neighbors in Crown Heights, however, the trauma remains. Many said they are fearful of when and where the next tragedy might strike.
"We mourn with you," Mayor Adams said, "We will coordinate with you, and we will stand with you."
Investigators recovered more than 40 shell casings from multiple weapons, including a 9mm and a .45-caliber handgun. A third gun was later found near Bedford Avenue and Eastern Parkway. Detectives are still working to determine whether it was linked to the shooting.
Folk gang connected to shooting, NYPD says
Dig deeper:
The NYPD has confirmed the incident was gang-related and said they are searching for two additional suspects.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Folk Nation gang, also known as the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples, is a violent street gang with a strong presence in Brooklyn.
Members have been tied to multiple shootings, drive-by attacks, and racketeering conspiracies in neighborhoods including Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Canarsie, with prosecutors noting the gang has been responsible for deadly turf wars and gun violence across the borough.