A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot and two others were injured Wednesday evening in an apparent gang-related shooting at Eisenhower Park on Long Island, authorities said.
Officers responded around 8:30 p.m. to reports of shots fired near Field 2 of the county's largest park, located on the 1800 block of Hempstead Turnpike in the East Meadow hamlet, according to a press release from the Nassau County Police Department viewed by NTD.
Officials said that when police arrived on the scene, they found the teenager suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Two other men, ages 28 and 31, were also shot during the incident and were transported to the hospital. They are currently listed in critical condition, the department said.
During a press briefing Wednesday night, Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said a meetup at the park had been organized through social media, where an invitation had been shared among gang members for a barbecue. Ryder said shots were fired after an argument broke out at the gathering.
Ryder said none of the people attending the barbecue were residents of Nassau County and that they were either from the Bronx or Suffolk County, noting that the park may have been chosen for its central location among the five boroughs.
According to local media reports, two people were arrested at the park on firearms possession charges. Their identities have not been released, and it's unclear whether they were involved in the shooting.
Several residents who frequent the park said they were shocked that this kind of violence could happen in their neighborhood.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ryder said measures would be implemented to prevent similar incidents at Eisenhower Park.
The investigation into the fatal shooting remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 911 or contact the Nassau County Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-244-8477. The department noted that all callers will remain anonymous.