13 people shot, stabbed or struck by vehicle in ‘pop up’ party violence, police say

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSTM) - Thirteen people were either shot, stabbed or hit by a car after violence broke out early Sunday morning.

Police say it appears the incidents happened during a so-called “pop up” party that was publicized on social media.

Syracuse police said officers responded to a shots fired complaint on Maseena Street triggered by the Shot Spotter system at 12:22 a.m. Sunday.

They discovered a scene of around 200 people gathered for some sort of block party promoted on social media.

“Upon arrival they discovered a tremendously chaotic situation,” Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile said. “Two hundred or so people in the street, people fleeing in all directions both on foot and in cars. They found over a dozen, well 13 is the actual number, victims - gunshot victims, stabbing victims, and also victims that had been hit by those vehicles that were fleeing the scenes.”

Cecile said this is not the first time a party like this has happened in the city.

Rather, every weekend in various parts of the city there are “pop up” parties typically advertised on social media. And the chief admits that sometimes police find out about them, and other times they don’t.

“Our understanding of this one, and it’s very early information, that it was a bunch of high school students who had just graduated and also some older individuals who had come back from college that were meeting here on this block,” Cecile said.

The ages of all 13 victims who were either shot, stabbed or hit by a car range from 17 to 25 years old.

Surveillance footage in the area is being reviewed by officers, but Cecile said this case could be quite long term.

“With as many victims as we have here, we probably also have quite a few suspects. So I think its going to be down the road, before this is released,” he said.

Police did not say whether arrests were made or if any suspects have been identified. The investigation is ongoing.