NYPD: 8-year-old boy shot in the Bronx, expected to recover

An 8-year-old boy is recovering from a gunshot wound after being hit in the thigh on a Bronx street Tuesday evening , according to the NYPD.

Police responded to numerous 911 calls that a person had been shot in front of 328 Beekman Avenue in Mott Haven at around 5 p.m.

By the time they arrived, the boy had already been shuttled off to Lincoln Hospital via private means, according to police.

A gun was recovered at the scene, and police took two people into custody, though only one had officially been charged by Wednesday morning.

Police charged Joshua Brooks, a 27-year-old Harlem man, with attempted murder, assault on a person less than 11 years old, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a firearm. His arraignment was pending Wednesday in Bronx criminal court. Attorney information for Brooks wasn't immediately available.

The boy is in stable condition, according to police. His identity has not been made public.

Police said the incident is still under investigation.

The 40th precinct, which includes Mott Haven, has seen 44% fewer shootings this year to date than last year, according to police department data. There have been 22 victims of gun violence in the precinct so far this year, compared to 47 by this time last year.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to denounce the violence.

“So much love and prayers for our 8-year old who was shot while walking with his grandmother this afternoon. Senseless. Outrageous,” she wrote. “Individuals with guns who have no regard for life or anyone in the path of their anger and violence. He’s recovering at a local hospital.”