Residents of Kensington and Midwood are on edge after a 24-year-old man was stabbed to death on Coney Island Avenue and a 27-year-old was shot during a drive-by shooting at the Giant Car Wash Detail Center, also on Coney Island Avenue.
According to the Citizen app, there have also been several reports of knife-wielding individuals, at least one hit-and-run accident with injuries, a report of a pistol-whipping, reports of shots fired with increasing frequency, and more instances of pedestrians being struck by vehicles than can be reliably counted.
According to ABC-7, police are investigating a fatal stabbing that took place on December 23 at the corner of Coney Island Avenue and Turner Place in Kensington.
Tyler Nichols and his older brother Shane were just a block from their home when a group of four men jumped out of a sedan and attacked them. Tyler, who was stabbed in the abdomen, was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after 8:00 PM. The attackers allegedly abandoned a vehicle at the scene.
Law enforcement is still searching for the four attackers. No arrests have been made in connection with this case.
Just over a week earlier, on December 12, an unidentified suspect shot a victim in the back outside of the Giant Car Wash Detail Center at 664 Coney Island Avenue. The suspect fled the scene in a silver sedan. The victim was taken to Maimonides Medical Center and is expected to recover.
Nonetheless, residents are on edge as violent attacks become more frequent, leaving them wondering whether Kensington can still be considered one of the safest neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
Kensington residents have been receiving what feels like more notifications than usual from the Citizen app, which notifies residents of incidents and crimes local to them in real time. Anyone nearby can live-stream an ongoing incident right from the app, and updates (including police scanner clips) are added to incidents as they become available.
On December 19, the Citizen app reports that a man brandishing a knife was involved in a dispute at 45th Street and New Utrecht Avenue.
On December 20, a man was struck with a wine bottle on McDonald Avenue, and another man was assaulted at Ocean Parkway and Foster Avenue.
On December 21, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle near 65th Street and New Utrecht Avenue.
On December 22, a hit-and-run collision happened at East 16th Street and Avenue J, just outside of Kensington in Midwood. Police are looking for a silver Mercedez-Benz in connection with this incident.
In addition to the fatal stabbing on December 23, the Citizen app notified locals that a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Ditmas Avenue and East 4th Street. A pistol-whipping was reported at 37th Street and 13th Avenue. Another pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at 43rd Street and 14th Avenue.
On December 24th, a person was shot near Greenwood Cemetery.
Throughout the month, there have been frequent reports of shots fired, but not all of these reports have been confirmed.
DNAinfo lists Kensington and nearby Borough Park as the 3rd safest areas in the borough.
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