Revelers gathering at Greenpoint’s Newtown Barge Park to enjoy the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks display got more than they bargained for when an unknown perpetrator set off fireworks in the crowd’s direction.
A witness shared with Greenpointers that a firework exploded near their head, catching their hair on fire and causing them to lose their hearing temporarily. They say the explosion left them with a perforated eardrum. The witness asked to remain anonymous due to safety concerns.
The incident turned an initially joyous event into one of chaos. “The park was a great vibe, to be honest,” the witness recalled at the start of the evening. “There were tons of families, kids, all different sorts of people, maybe some tourists—a good mix of people, and everyone was having a good time.”
Once the Macy’s fireworks display started, the vibe instantly shifted. An unknown perpetrator set off their own fireworks in the grassy triangle area of the park, where many families with young children had gathered. One of the fireworks went off sideways directly into the crowd, hitting several people and causing parkgoers to flee quickly. Some even left their belongings behind.
The perpetrator then set off a second round, after the first round cleared out many parkgoers.
Victims quickly identified the individual setting off the fireworks, who the witness says was part of a larger group. A few victims, one of whom had a burn hole in his shirt, confronted the group directly, leading to a tense standoff between the two groups.
The witness stated that two group members attempted to downplay the situation and began escorting them out of the park, which the witness felt was threatening.
The NYPD arrived shortly after, though the witness said their response left much to be desired.
“They literally were like, ‘Oh, you’ll get your hearing back.’ One even said ‘It’s no big deal’ and the only thing that they could do was call EMS for me.”
The witness and their partner left the park and called 911 twice, hoping for a more active response this time. For over forty-five minutes, no one came by, and their partner eventually flagged down a squad car on the street. Those officers arrived and took a statement but it was too late—the suspect had already left.
“If those first cops had responded, there would have been justice for the situation right now,” noting that the perpetrator stayed at the park long after the fireworks. “We had a bunch of eyewitnesses, and they were right there.”
The NYPD told Greenpointers that there is a report on file for reckless endangerment. The 94th Precinct Detective Squad is currently investigating the situation.
So sick of these kidults!! Someone on Newel Street was shooting fireworks from a rooftop. These idiots don’t realize they could start a fire or seriously injure someone! Who raised these dopes??