6 Injured in NYC Shooting, Including Mom Used as Human Shield

A mother was one of multiple people shot when gunfire erupted inside a New York City convenience store.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said on Monday, Dec. 30, at 5 p.m. local time, two men opened fire inside the G&W convenience store in the Bronx and six people were injured with gunshot wounds, ABC News reported. 

Among the victims was a 40-year-old mother, whose identity has not been released, who sustained a bullet wound to her stomach and her 12-year-old daughter who was shot in the leg. Four men also had gunshot wounds from the incident, NYPD Interim Chief of Department John Chell said via press conference after the shooting.

Representatives from the NYPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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According to local authorities, the mother was used as a human shield by one of the suspected targets in the shooting.

“We had a brazen and heartless attack by two shooters who opened fire in the middle of the street and into a crowded convenience store, striking six people,” Chief Chell said, according to local ABC affiliate WABC. “The mother was used as a shield by the intended targets of the shooting.”

The woman and her daughter were reportedly standing at the front of the store when the men who were being shot at ran inside to escape the gunfire.

“If you can imagine, mom and daughter up against a counter, and the two intended targets come in and bump into them and turn the mother around as they’re being shot at,” Chell said, according to the outlet.

The six shooting victims are expected to survive their injuries, police said.

Preliminary viewing of security footage shows the two masked gunmen running towards the store and continuing to shoot as the suspected target ran inside, Chell said. The two alleged gunmen, both wearing dark-colored sweatsuits, then left the scene on foot.

Chell said NYPD investigators are currently questioning the four male victims who were shot to find out if any of them were among the intended targets, ABC News reported. The male victims range from 18 to 21, police said.

As of Tuesday morning, Dec. 31, the gunmen were still at large as authorities work to discover their identities, according to police.

A motive for the shooting is currently under investigation.