Monday at about 9 p.m., NYPD officers assigned to the parade rushed to the scene of yet another shooting.
But this shooting near the corner of Park Place and Franklin Avenue involved the police.
Dozens of shots were fired.
Three civilians were shot in the shootout with police. Two are dead and a third person is in critical condition.
The cones in the street marked the shell casings from a gun battle that witnesses say involved police shooting at least one of the suspects.
The sound of gunfire echoed through the neighborhood.
It startled residents who'd already witnessed not only the parade, but some of the violence that came with it.
"I heard a lot of shots. I saw a shooting at the parade, so I'm a little bit freaked out," said Jillian Steinhauer, a resident.
The female police officer was shot in the arm. Both officers are listed in serious but stable condition at Brookdale Hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Earlier, another shooting happened at around 5 p.m. on Eastern Parkway near Rogers Avenue.
That location is about half way down the parade route. A male was shot in the leg. He's at Kings County Hospital in stable condition.
Monday afternoon, two other people were shot around 2:30 p.m. in front of 1159 Eastern Parkway, which is about a block east of where the parade began at 11a.m.
Both shooting victims are men and are going to Kings County Hospital. One was shot in the leg; the other in the stomach. The man that was shot in the stomach is in critical condition.
Witnesses said parade goers scrambled as the gun fire rang out.
One person attending the parade said the shooting occurred following an argument.
A law enforcement source says one person is in custody.
More than three million people spent Labor Day celebrating Caribbean pride and culture.
They gathered for the 44th annual West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival in Brooklyn.
The annual Labor Day parade celebrates the culture of the Caribbean islands.
Rhythmic dancers and colorful costumes made their way along Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.
The parade is modeled on traditional Carnival festivities and features dancers wearing enormous feathered costumes, music and plenty of food.
Elected officials including Mayor Michael Bloomberg attended the celebrations which were marred by the gunfire in the area.
