NYPD Community Center in Brooklyn hopes to be refuge from gun violence

EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- There was a wave of gun violence across New York City on Thursday -- all within just hours of each other. Two of the victims were just teenagers.

On Thursday night, a community in Brooklyn hoped to provide refuge from the violence.

At the NYPD Community Center in East New York, kids and police are dancing together and playing basketball to enjoy a safe refuge from the streets.

"We like to prevent before they're involved in trouble," said NYPD Inspector Winston Faison.

There was another shooting in East New York on Thursday - a 16-year-old boy who was not the intended target was shot in the thigh, the latest innocent victim. It was the 71st shooting in the 75 Precinct so far this year - and that is what makes the community center so crucial.

"They come for the fun," said counselor Howard Keller.

It is not all sports and music - they have a computer lab to fly a plane.

ALSO READ | Female NYPD officer allegedly kills woman, shoots ex-girlfriend in Brooklyn

Police say 31-year-old Officer Yvonne Wu wounded her 23-year-old ex-girlfriend and shot and killed that woman's new partner, 24-year-old Jamie Liang.

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