Here Are 8 of New York’s Most Violent Mass Shootings [List]
Unfortunately, mass shootings are becoming more commonplace in the United States. Even in a state like New York, where we have stricter gun laws than many other states, we are not immune to the violence. The Chronicle Express reported,
In 2020, New York reported 38 mass shootings that killed 20 and injured 175. A year earlier, the state had nine mass shootings that killed seven and injured 43.
Here’s a look at some of the most prolific mass shootings in New York.
1. Palm Sunday Massacre - Brooklyn
April 15, 1984
10 fatalities including 6 children
Credit: Inside Edition via Youtube
This violent incident took place at 1080 Liberty Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, according to Wikipedia.
The victims were all from the same family:
Noel Maldonado, 3, 3-year-old Alberto Maldonado, 4-year-old Juan Enrique Lopez, 7-year-old Eddie Lopez, 10-year-old Marelyn Bermudez, 10-year-old Maria Isabel Perez, 14-year-old Betsy Bermudez, 14-year-old Migdalia Perez, 20-year-old Carmen Perez, and 24-year-old Virginia Lopez.
In 1985, Christopher Thomas was convicted of committing the horrific crime due to jealousy. He only ended up serving about 3-years for each victim. According to NY State law at the time, his time behind bars was cut short,
Thomas was sentenced to from 83 to 250 years, but due to state law was expected to spend no more than 50 years in prison. He ended up serving just over 32 years before being released in 2018, having served two thirds of the maximum fifty years allowed by New York State.
2. Long Island Rail Road Shooting - Long Island
December 7, 1993
6 fatalities, 19 injured
Credit: Associated Press via Youtube
The shooting took place at the Merillon Avenue Station in Garden City, Long Island, NY, according to Wikipedia.
The victims who passed away from their injures were:
Amy Federici 27, 51-year-old James Gorycki who was an account executive, 30-year-old Maria Theresa Tumangan Magtoto who was a lawyer, 52-year-old Dennis McCarthy who was an office manager, 24-year-old college student Richard Nettleton and 27-year-old Mi Kyung Kim.
Authorities say the attack was racial motivated with the shooter, Colin Ferguson, wanted to kill white people.
Ferguson was convicted on February 17, 1995, of murder of the six passengers who died of their injuries. He was also convicted of attempted murder for wounding nineteen passengers. He received 315 years and eight months to life, meaning his current earliest possible parole date is August 6, 2309. ~ Wikipedia
3. Wendy's massacre - Queens
May 24, 2000
5 fatalities, 2 injured
Credit: PIX11 News via Youtube
The victims that lost their lives in the Wendy’s massacre were:
Jean Auguste, 27, 40-year-old Ali Ibadat, 19-year-old Jeremy Mele, 44-year-old Ramon Nazario, and 23-year-old Anita Smith.
John Taylor, who was a former employee at the Wendy’s location - 40-12 Main Street in Flushing, Queens, New York - was charged with the murders. He had an accomplice, Craig Godineaux.
On November 19, 2002, Taylor was convicted on 20 counts of murder and attempted murder. One week later, on November 26, the jury sentenced Taylor to death. ~ Wikipedia
His death sentence was overturned however. He was sentenced to life without parole instead. Godineaux was sentenced to life in prison.
4. Binghamton shooting - Binghamton
April 3, 2009
14 fatalities, including the shooter, who died by suicide, 4 injured
Credit: CBS News via Youtube
The victims who died in the attack were:
Parveen Ali, 26, who was from northern Pakistan, 43-year-old Almir Olimpio Alves, who was a PhD from Brazil, 44-year-old Marc Henry Bernard, who was from Haiti, 46-year-old Maria Sonia Bernard who was from Haiti, 47-year-old Li Guo, who was from China, 39-year-old Lan Ho, from Vietnam, 53-year-old Layla Khalil, mother of three children from Iraq, 72-year-old English teacher Roberta King, age 72, 22-year-old Jiang Ling, who was from China, 35-year-old Hong Xiu "Amy" Mao Marsland, from China, 53-year-old Dolores Yigal from the Philippines, 54-year-old Hai Hong Zhong who was from China and 60-year-old Maria Zobniw a caseworker at the Civic Association.
Jiverly Antares Wong, who was from Vietnam, opened fire at the American Civic Association immigration center in Binghamton, New York. His victims were mostly immigrants, who were trying to become U.S. Citizens, according to Wikipedia. Several sources suggested possible motives for Wong's attack, including feelings of being "degraded and disrespected" for his poor English language skills, depression over losing his job, and difficulty in finding work in New York.
5. 2012 Webster shooting - Webster
December 24, 2012
4 fatalities, including the gunman and his sister, 3 injured
Credit: CBS News via Youtube
The victims of the deadly incident were:
Michael Chiapperini, 43, a Lieutenant and public information officer for the Webster Police Department, 19-year-old firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka, and the perpetrator’s 67-year-old sister Cheryl, according to Wikipedia.
William H. Spengler intentionally set fire to his home, located at 191 Lake Road in Webster, NY. When firefighters arrived on the scene to battle the blaze, he began shooting at them using three guns. This incident was not Spengler’s first murder. In 1980, he killed his 92-year-old grandmother with a hammer and served only 17-years behind bars. His sister Cheryl was found deceased in the home, once the fire was under control.
A two-to-three-page typewritten letter written by Spengler was found at the scene. It reflected Spengler's intent to ambush first responders, but offered no motive for the shooting.[3] In it, he wrote, "I still have to get ready to see how much of the neighborhood I can burn down, and do what I like doing best, killing people." ~ Wikipedia
6. Herkimer County shootings - The Villages of Mohawk and Herkimer
March 13, 2013
6 fatalities, including the shooter and a canine officer, 2 injured
The shooting spree took place in the villages of Mohawk and Herkimer, New York, according to Wikipedia.
Credit: CNYCentral via Youtube
The victims of the Herkimer County shootings were:
Harry Montgomery,68, 57-year-old Michael Rancier, Thomas Stefka and Michael Renshaw. https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/13/justice/new-york-shooting
The shooter, Kurt Myers, shot his victims at a barber shop in Mohawk and a car care business Herkimer, both of which he had patronized at some point, according to Times Telegram. In addition to his human victims, Myers killed an FBI canine named Ape. Police say he had a modest apartment, no job and was living off his credit cards, racking up a ton of debt that he hadn’t been paying on.
7. Rochester Gathering shooting - Rochester
September 19, 2020
2 fatalities, 16 injured
Credit: WPRI via Youtube
According to WKBW, the incident happened at a house on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Rochester Police Department were investigating after 16 people were shot and two teens were pronounced dead at the scene. According to USA Today, more than 100 people were in attendance.
8. Trinitarios Shooting - Queens
July 31, 2021
10 injured
Credit: Eyewitness News ABC7NY via Youtube
The shooting took place in Queens, NY, on 37th Avenue. The victims were between the ages of 19-years-old and 72-years-old. Police suspect that it was gang-related. Four suspects – two on scooters and two on foot - were caught on camera.