Gunshots erupt outside $3M Harlem home of ballet dancer

Gunshots erupted in South Harlem on a Sunday afternoon, specifically at 1:40 p.m. on West 118th Street, near a luxury home valued at nearly $3 million. The incident involved a scooter-riding gunman who fired four shots, injuring a 30-year-old man in the buttocks and grazing his head. The victim, who was not a resident of the building but was known to frequent the area, was taken to Harlem Hospital and survived the attack. Police recovered four .9mm shell casings from the scene. Witnesses reported that the victim often loitered with others on the stoop of a nearby building, where drug dealing was suspected to occur. A neighborhood resident expressed concerns about the safety of the area, noting that he had previously alerted authorities about the victim's activities. The shooting is part of a troubling trend, as violence in the neighborhood has increased recently, with a notable rise in shooting incidents and felony assaults. Just two blocks away, a man was killed in a drive-by shooting earlier in July, highlighting the escalating violence in the area. The NYPD reported a 33% increase in shooting victims in Harlem's 28th Precinct this year compared to the previous year, with felony assaults also rising significantly. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the recent shooting, leaving residents feeling uneasy about their safety. The ongoing violence has raised alarms among local residents, prompting discussions about the need for increased police presence and community safety measures. The combination of drug-related activities and recent violent incidents has created a climate of fear, prompting calls for action to address the underlying issues contributing to the rise in crime.