The West Indian Day Parade, a vibrant showcase of Caribbean culture in Brooklyn, was marred by violence on Monday when gunfire erupted along the parade route, resulting in at least six people being shot, according to authorities.

The incident occurred around 2:35 p.m. on the 300 block of Eastern Parkway, amid the festivities attended by nearly one million people.

The victims of the shooting included one male who was shot in the head, another in the torso, and a third in the arm.

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Another individual suffered a gunshot wound to the wrist, while a woman was hit in the shoulder and torso.

The locations of the injuries for the fifth and sixth victims were not immediately clear.

Police sources indicated that at least one of the injured is likely to succumb to their wounds.

🚨🇺🇸AT LEAST 6 SHOT ALONG WEST INDIAN DAY FESTIVAL PARADE ROUTE IN NYC

At least 6 people were shot along the West Indian Day Festival parade route on Eastern Parkway in New York City on Monday afternoon.

Victims included one person shot in the head, another in the shoulder, and… pic.twitter.com/Gl9JUK5iQ5

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 2, 2024

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The annual parade, now in its 57th year, draws a massive crowd to Crown Heights, with attendees donning colorful attire reflective of their heritage, including green, red, and yellow hues. Revelers, young and old, celebrated with an array of costumes ranging from boas and tiaras to hot pants and body paint.

Catherine Paulino, 23, of Crown Heights, who was the reigning beauty queen at the Miss Panamanian Parade 2023, expressed her connection to the event: “The parade means so much to me because Panama is a big part of my identity,” she said. “I love that everybody from different cultures can come together and celebrate as a single community.”

Despite the joyful celebrations, the event was heavily guarded due to historical instances of violence. NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey noted that there was a “strong police presence” at the parade, including screenings with 300 handheld metal detectors.

This precautionary measure was a response to past incidents, such as last year’s parade where two people were shot and another was slashed in the arm.

The related J’Ouvert celebration, which precedes the West Indian Parade, has also been plagued by violence in recent years. In 2015, an aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Carey Gabay, was tragically killed by a stray bullet during gang crossfire in Crown Heights.

The following year witnessed further tragedy when two young individuals, Tiarah Poyau, a 22-year-old St. John’s University student, and 17-year-old Tyreke Borel, were shot dead.

The recurring violence at these cultural celebrations has raised concerns about safety at public events in the city, casting a shadow over the community’s vibrant celebrations.

The NYPD continues to investigate Monday’s shootings, seeking to bring those responsible to justice and restore a sense of security to the annual gatherings that mean so much to Brooklyn’s Caribbean community.