SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Three teenagers riding in a suspected stolen car were shot -- one critically -- when a relative of the vehicle’s owner opened fire after an altercation in upstate New York on Sunday, authorities said.
According to a news release from the city of Syracuse, Michael Brown, 23, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm and criminal use of a firearm.
The teen girls -- a 16-year-old and two 14-year-olds -- were among seven people in the Hyundai Sonata, WSTM-TV reported.
According to city officials, the Syracuse Police Department received a call about a shooting at about 10:47 p.m. EST. Upon arrival, officers found that the 16-year-old was shot in the arm and midsection and was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
https://t.co/otfjzH8lXL Following the shooting of three teen girls suspected of a car theft Sunday night, Syracuse Police Lt. Matthew Malinowski said he understands the frustration when it comes to vehicle thefts but warns against taking justice into your own hands.
— CNY Central (@CNYCentral) November 7, 2023
One 14-year-old was shot in the hip, while the other one was wounded in the leg. Both girls are expected to survive.
According to police, the Hyundai was parked outside the Change of Pace sports bar in Syracuse at about 3:30 p.m. EST, WSTM reported. When the owner went to retrieve his keys from his backpack at about 8 p.m., he noticed that they were missing.
So was the vehicle, and the owner reported it missing at about 9 p.m., according to the television station.
Brown, described by officers as a relative of the vehicle’s owner, went searching for it and found it with “several juveniles inside.”
According to the city’s news release, at some point during “an interaction” with the occupants of the Hyundai, Brown allegedly fired a weapon into the vehicle, striking the three teens.
Officers said that Brown fled the scene after the shooting. He was later taken into custody, officials said.
According to Syracuse police spokesperson Lt. Matthew Malinowski, it was unclear how the group obtained access to the Hyundai, WSTM reported. It was also unclear when the vehicle was taken.
Malinowski said he understood the frustration of the victim and his relative, but added that taking justice into his own hands had consequences in this case.
“This is one of the worst examples of what could happen,” Malinowski told WSTM. “(He) got the vehicle back, but you’ll be spending several years, if not decades, in prison for this.”
An investigation is ongoing, city officials said.
