Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 2 Evacuated Today After Gunfire Reported

By on April 15, 2015 10:55 pm in brooklyn bridge park, News

Update: The shooter has been arrested; fortunately, no one was shot. Thanks to reader “Bornhere” for the tip.

Details are sketchy, but Gothamist reports that there were unconfirmed reports of gunfire at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 2 (photo) this afternoon. Brooklyn Heights resident Thomas Hynes is quoted as saying he heard gunshots, and that there was a subsequent evacuation of the pier.

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  • Andrew Porter

    As I commented elsewhere, I seldom see Park Enforcement Police (PEP) officers in BBP. Considering the very heavy pedestrian traffic, and the number of people using the sports facilities, you’d think that a heavier police presence would be wise. The BBP is used by all the people of Brooklyn, not just the refined citizens of our cherished neighborhood, after all. I think this should be raised by local elected officials, the BHA, and other interested parties.

  • Concerned

    This is unacceptable. There should be uniformed police presence at every entrance/exit, as well as patrolling the park. There’s a terrifying comment on Gothamist from a parent who was on his bike with his young kids coming the soccer fields when this occurred. Another comment came from a runner who saw 5 teenagers kicking another in the head at the scene. This is the start of a very bad season at the park or a wake up call so that this never happens again.

  • Mary

    Andrew’s point is well taken, and not just for the BBP. Now that the weather’s nice and the hoards are on their way, regular foot patrols on pathways to the waterfront are needed. Atlantic, Joralemon, Clark, and Middagh, the Promenade and Cadman East and West come to mind. Is the 84th precinct on top of this?

  • DIBS

    Yes because BBP certainly deserves a much higher, much denser police presence than all other parts of Brooklyn because “this is unacceptable” and there are more “entitled”people in BH.

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    It’s clear that Brooklyn Heights is NOT entitled. Everything has been taken from it in the name of real estate expansion and the needs of the neighborhood are clearly and totally ignored.

  • Willow Street Watch

    The 84 pct several months ago requested nine new officers from the department specifically for the park. The request is going through the levels of one police plaza…this incident shows the real dangers of inaction.

    So the question is: why hasnt the various Heights based civic and advocacy groups more effectively asking for more police manpower?

    And why hasn’t the average Heights residents more forcefully advocated for an increase in public safety personnel.

    The rule should be exactly what was advocated by a Heights activist several years ago at the 84 pct community council:

    If you increase the population and use of an area, you want more cops, fire and ems…in fact, there should be in statutory black letter law a hard mandatory ratio between population in an area and the actual number of public safety personnel always on hand in police dept terms, the patrol strength.

  • DIBS

    Then maybe you should chastise your fellow residents for selling to developers. Besides, where is this occurring on anything nut unlandmarked, commercial streets?

  • petercow

    “Is 84th Precinct on top of this?”

    Is that a trick question? Of course not.

    I hope you can attend a precinct community meeting and express your views.

  • petercow

    For me to see 1 cop a day west of Clinton Street, that isn’t watching a tv/movie beig filmed, would count as “denser’.

  • petercow

    Brooklyn Bridge Park – bringing Brownsville to Brooklyn Heights for a 50th of a century.

    Just wait ’till the weather gets really warm.

  • Concerned

    Lol! As if the amusement park that is BBP is not different than other areas of Brooklyn. Of course there should be more police presence there. There’s more activity, more visitors, more density, etc… Nice try.

  • E280

    It’s not so much “fellow residents” selling to developers that is increasing density so rapidly. Aren’t the developers mostly building the incremental buildings on land from Brooklyn Bridge Park, SUNY / LICH, commercial interests in the non-landmarked buildings between Clinton and Court Sts., etc.?

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    Yes, E280 — you are right. DIBS clearly doesn’t understand or want to understand what has been going on.

    And, as if this needs to be said, not everyone that lives in Brooklyn Heights is a multi-millionaire. Some of us bought co-ops when the prices were very low in the 90’s and some rent.

  • Resident

    It’s about gang activity. And it happens in all large parks where there are places (like the cement ball courts on the pier) that encourage large groups to gather. I have seen a lot of police in the park. That won’t stop this.

  • petercow

    What there is, in Brooklyn Heights, is almost zero police presence west of Clinton. The 84 acts like the Heights patrols itself.

    Mary is exactly right. When people get out of the subway and walk through the neighborhood, they should see a uniformed presence.

  • E280

    I agree. And I don’t think it is “entitled” behavior to ask for a reasonably secure environment where our kids are not at risk of being shot / killed in the local park.

  • Resident

    There is some…. I often see cops getting pizza at Fascati and also by the A and C train exit on CPW near the big round planter… But I agree – we need more now that it has gotten so crowded. There should also be patrols every night through Cadman Plaza Park and on the Promanade…

  • Sen. Bob Forehead

    Convert the Basketball courts to Squash courts, problem solved.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    In the short term, other than the remote chance that increasing law enforcement will effectively prevent further incidents, it doesn’t seem like much can be done. Violent crime will play out in the areas that attract those who demographically overlap with the most crime-prone (young, poor, male minorities, if I had to guess–not, it should be noted, because they are young, poor, male, and POC, but because their demographic history has largely prevented them from turning out in large numbers to access better opportunities; and this is an American problem, not a rich or poor or black or white problem).

    Instead of pointing fingers of blame, screeching for more cops, or clutching our pearls, I hope this will cause us to have some serious dialogue about ways we can interrupt the cyclical culture of poverty/crime, and the role that BH residents can play in that initiative.

  • Concerned

    I respectfully disagree, resident. More police presence does deter such violent activity. If not, what else do you suggest would?

  • Peter Loibl

    Not specific to this incident, but just a general comment: I really miss the neighborhood that I moved into nearly a decade ago. In full transparency, this hoard of tourists, helicopters and increased noise and “incidents” has me on Trulia daily looking to leave an area I once loved. Bummer.

  • Concerned

    I appreciate your point of view and agree with it, studiobrooklyn. However, I don’t understand why you state that it is a “remote chance” that more police presence won’t help this situation.

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    I understand exactly how you feel. But where to go?

  • StudioBrooklyn

    I’m unconvinced that increased police presence wouldn’t just drive the crime into some other part of the park (or the adjacent neighborhoods), or have no effect at all. We also have to bear in mind that incidents like these are fairly rare and isolated, at least in this part of the city. They get over-reported compared to the relative tranquility that prevails on the other 364 days of the year.

  • ShinyNewHandle

    Peter, I hear you—I moved here in ’91. There was a mini “Golden Age” some years later, when car break-ins had decreased; and we still had bookstores on Montague and a movie theater on Henry; and only a few intrepid visitors schlepped it all the way over the Brooklyn Bridge to the Promenade, instead of stopping mid-span, taking a few pics, and returning to Manhattan.

    The difference would probably become stark on a historical histogram of expensive, tiny dogs…

  • ShinyNewHandle

    “Convert the Basketball courts to Squash courts, problem solved.”

    Sadth but Truth.

  • Concerned

    Fair enough. However, I’d like to try something and soon and attempt to nip this in the bud. Whether it’s more police presence or something else (I’m no expert). Although you’re correct that shooting violence is more rare in this area, we’re dealing with a completely new and exciting park that is sure to attract all types. I simply want any troublemakers to be deterred as much as possible.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Brooklyn Bridge Park isn’t “the bud”.

    As long as the city has neighborhoods where violence is bred it’s going to be something that all the other neighborhoods will have to deal with, unless of course you want to start putting up fences and signs and trying ridiculously to find a politically correct way to say you don’t want poor black kids bringing “their problems” into a public park you mistakenly perceive to be yours and yours alone.

  • Willow Street Watch

    That the real overall truth here. If you destroy what is great and unique about the Heights, the people who give the Heights its unique nature will simply leave and the great days of the Heights will be over. Bad government like bad people drives good people out. You can’t retain our most valuable people with types like the BBC Board or crude social climbers like CAC and the social effects they cause, types running things.

  • Concerned

    Actually, BBP is a “bud” for this neighborhood and the city. And I don’t appreciate your attempt to polarize and add race to my position. Moreover, I see the park as a place for EVERYONE who doesn’t want to start trouble. But you want to pick fights and make weak assumptions as to my position and who I am. That’s sad and I won’t take the bait. I will simply assert that we are NOT helpless against crime in Brooklyn’s new and beautiful park. And while I agree that crime is a societal issue, that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about preventing it from spreading. Is that so bad? Is that so racist?

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