The West Indian American Day Parade in Brooklyn, a vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture, was marred by violence on Labor Day evening as multiple shootings injured at least six people along the parade route. The incidents occurred as the parade was concluding on Monday evening, despite heightened security measures implemented by the New York Police Department.

The shootings took place on Eastern Parkway and Nostrand Avenue. In the first incident, around 5:35 p.m., a man in his 20s was shot in the leg, and a woman in her 40s sustained a graze wound. Then, at approximately 6:46 p.m., two men were shot in the shoulder near Eastern Parkway and Classon Avenue. Around 6:55 p.m., a 53-year-old man was shot in the neck and leg near Nostrand Avenue and Sterling Street; he was listed in critical condition as of Monday night. During the same incident, a 40-year-old woman was shot in the ankle. All of the injured individuals were transported to Kings County Hospital.

The NYPD had deployed thousands of officers, as well as helicopters and drones, and used barricades to create a "moat" between marchers and spectators. According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, this was the department's largest deployment of the year, surpassing even New Year's Eve in Times Square and the Fourth of July fireworks in terms of officer numbers. Prior to the parade, Mayor Eric Adams stated that there were no specific or credible threats against the parade and affirmed, "We are not going to allow one or two individuals to spoil the festivities".

The annual Labor Day event, which fills Eastern Parkway from Crown Heights to the Brooklyn Museum, is known for its vibrant costumes, colorful flags, and the sounds of soca and reggae music. It attracts hundreds of thousands of people, including many local politicians with West Indian heritage or who represent the city's large Caribbean community. The parade is the culmination of days of carnival events, including steel pan band performances and J'Ouvert, a pre-dawn street party commemorating freedom from slavery. Approximately one million spectators joined the bands and masqueraders for the parade, a nearly six-decade-long Labor Day tradition.

Last year's parade was also marred by violence when a shooting resulted in the death of a 25-year-old man and injuries to four others. Commissioner Tisch mentioned that the shooter from the previous year was still being sought.

Following the recent shootings, police reported that a person of interest was in custody related to the third shooting incident. Detectives are continuing their investigations into the shootings.