A burst of gunfire in Trenton, New Jersey, has left seven people wounded, in a shooting that sent multiple victims to the hospital and once again raised alarm over gun violence in the city. The scale of the incident, with so many people hit at once, has turned an ordinary night into a major emergency for police and medics.
According to the account, seven people were shot and taken to the hospital. The sheer number of victims points to a chaotic scene, with several people struck before the shooting stopped. Emergency crews were left to treat and transport a large group of wounded at the same time.
The violence unfolded on the streets of the city the night before. Shots rang out at Center and Furman streets, the location where the gunfire erupted. It was there that the victims were hit, in an area that quickly became the focus of the police response.
The location has added to the concern surrounding the shooting. The scene was about a block away from the Boys and Girls Club, a place associated with young people and community activity. Gunfire breaking out so close to such a site underscores how exposed ordinary neighbourhoods can be to sudden violence.
The conditions of those wounded vary from serious to more stable. Police say two people are in critical condition, fighting the most severe injuries from the shooting. Another five are said to be in stable condition, having survived the attack but still requiring hospital care.
For now, many of the basic details about the victims remain unknown publicly. The names and ages of those hurt have not been released, leaving the identities of the seven people caught up in the shooting undisclosed as the investigation continues.
The search for whoever was responsible is also at an early stage. There is no word yet on a suspect or any arrests in connection with the shooting. With seven people wounded and two of them in critical condition, police are likely to face pressure to find those behind the gunfire and to determine what led to such a violent outburst in Trenton.