Video footage released by New York City police on Tuesday shows bystanders running for cover as a passenger on the back of an electric scooter opens fire on a busy street.
The incident occurred on June 13, and shows two men riding on a bright green Lime electric scooter near an East Harlem deli in the middle of the afternoon. The Lime scooters are available to the public as part of a new city-wide ride share program.
Police said the two men traveled from East 115th Street onto Second Avenue at around 3:35 p.m. on June 13, and then headed uptown against traffic as they opened fire, according to a police report shared with Newsweek. The passenger, who was wearing a gray hoodie, can be seen in the video pulling out a gun and firing toward the Sanola Deli Grocery on the corner of the street.
Bystanders standing near the deli quickly ran for cover as the scooter took off down the road. According to police, no one was struck by the bullet and no property was damaged during the incident.
The gunman and the man driving the scooter, who could be seen wearing bright red clothing and a surgical mask, were last spotted riding on Second Avenue before turning onto East 116th Street, police said.
No arrests have been made as of early Tuesday. Police released video footage of the incident to media outlets in the hope that members of the public recognize the scooter driver or gunman.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
The video footage came after the New York City Police Department (NYPD) said Monday that at least 26 people were shot in New York City during the Fourth of July weekend. Among the shooting victims included a 19-year-old, a 22-year-old, and a 33-year-old, ABC News 10 reported.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned last month that this summer could see even more gun violence, as statistics have shown shootings incidents to be up by more than 70 percent compared to last year.
"For the rest of the year, we're going to be dealing with a major challenge," De Blasio told reporters on June 6. "We are doing everything we can here in this city, but we need help," he added.
Last month, the NYPD received a $200 million budget increase after New York City experienced a 22 percent increase in crime in May compared to the same month last year.
According to police, the increase in crime was primarily driven by a 46.7 percent increase in robberies and a 35.6 percent increase grand larceny. However, a 20.5 percent increase in felony assaults and a 73 percent increase in shooting incidents also contributed.
