Posted on September 25, 2008

Dozen Arrested After African-American Day Parade in Harlem

Alison Gendar, Joe Gould and Tamer El-Ghobashy, New York Daily News, September 23, 2008

Cops made more than a dozen arrests and recovered 14 illegal firearms after Sunday’s African-American Day Parade in Harlem.

“It was a crazy night,” a police source said Tuesday. “People came out for a parade on a Sunday, and a bunch of knuckleheads come with guns.”

Six people—including a 15-year-old girl—were wounded in four shootings in less than an hour near the parade route, cops said. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.

But none of those arrested were believed to be involved in the shootings, cops said.

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He said 16 people were arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon after 14 guns were recovered.

Seven other suspects were charged with assaulting police officers, and a total of 55 summonses were issued for disorderly conduct and alcohol- and marijuana-related crimes, Collins said.

The violence shook residents and angered revelers who had come to enjoy the 39th annual march down Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.

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Shootings in the area, the 28th Precinct, are up 33% so far this year compared with the same period in 2007, with 10 more victims being shot, NYPD stats show. Over two years, shootings that resulted in injuries or death are up 86%, according to the statistics.

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