Man wearing Halloween mask opens fire on group of people in Manhattan

ByCandace McCowan, Eyewitness News WABC logo
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Man wearing Halloween mask opens fire on group of people
A.J. Ross reports on the search for a gunman who was wearing a Halloween mask.

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan (WABC) -- Police in Manhattan are searching for a man who was wearing the mask of a horror movie villain while shooting two people early Thursday.

It happened just before 2 a.m. on West 163rd Street in Washington Heights, as people were standing outside.

Authorities say someone in a scary Halloween mask walked up and began firing.

It was initially reported to look like a "Michael Myers" mask from "Halloween," but now police say it looked similar to "Ghostface" from the "Scream" movies.

A 17-year-old girl was hit in the stomach and taken to Harlem Hospital, while a 21-year-old man was struck multiple times in his abdomen, groin and leg. He was taken to nearby New York Presbyterian Hospital.

They are both expected to survive.

One man was with the victims before the shooting and had just gone to bed when he heard shots.

"I went to sleep and after I heard the shots," he said. "I woke up, and I heard one of my friends screaming out, 'He's shot,' and then there were cops coming."

Investigators are still searching for the gunman.

Police say the shooter was wearing the mask and a green hoodie jacket.

This incident capped off a violent Halloween in which police responded to at least five other shootings and three stabbings. All of the victims in the other incidents are also expected to survive.

----------

* More Manhattan news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube