Posted on 08/28/2011 9:47:45 AM PDT by Altura Ct.
A Queens party advertised on Facebook and Twitter as "Drama Free" turned into a shooting gallery early Saturday.
Eleven young people were shot, including a teenage girl left paralyzed, when a gunman opened fire into the crowd.
About 100 people were packed into the backyard of the single-family home on Inwood St. in South Jamaica shortly before 1 a.m., when the shooter sneaked up a back alleyway and opened fire into the yard through a chain link fence.
Police said six males ages 15 to 23, and five women, ages 15 to 21, were shot, with bullets hitting them in their arms, legs, hands and feet.
A 15-year-old girl, not immediately identified, was shot in the back, and police said the bullet severed her spine.
The wounded were taken to three area hospitals, and all were reported in stable condition.
"Everything was all smooth, and then the shots started coming through the gate, and everybody started running," said Allan Dawkins, 23, who said he threw the party for a younger sister, Florence Dudney, who was moving to Washington
Dawkins advertised the party on Twitter and Facebook, as "Free Food, Free Drinks, Live Video, photos, Drama Free."
He said he initially charged "$3 for dudes, $1 for females, but after a while we just stopped.
"IDs were being checked and everybody was being searched through the front," he said. "So he [the shooter] probably came in, seen somebody he had issues with, went home and got his gun."
Dawkins said when the shooting stopped, the wounded 15-year-old girl, a friend of his sister he knows as "Frenchie," was lying face down in the yard.
"A lot of people didn't know they were hit," he said. "One guy made it to the boulevard [Rockaway], and that's four blocks away. The only person who knew she was hit was the girl, and one guy."
A young girl standing with a group outside the house yesterday said, "nobody in the backyard realized those were shots until the third or fourth one went off. People in front of the house started running in all directions right away, but those in the backyard didn't. I can't understand why."
Police said they recovered several 9-mm. bullet casings from the scene.
yute.
Wow! What kind of idiot throws a party just hours before a hurricane is scheduled to hit?
I daren’t answer that.
1 am Saturday was over a day before the hurricane was scheduled to hit. Party problem started late Friday night.
How many of you would go to a party advertised on line? I’m thinking that it’s full of people who you don’t know, if they advertise it on line.
Even if I was young and foolish, I think I would avoid a party advertised on line. I would stick with people whom I know.
Back in my day, we knew that BYOB parties were bad news. Maybe this tragedy can help warn others of the dangers of going to a party full of people whom you don’t know.
I’m sure they meant that, for every 3.00 ticket sold, it came with free drama.
I live on the Gulf Coast, and there's plenty to do 24 to 48 hours before a hurricane hits. Most people are boarding up their homes and businesses and making other preparations.
When my son was a sophomore in HS, he organized a party which was supposed to be for a few garage bands he knew and he had some recording equipment. It was supposed to be about 20 people. Then it was announced over the intercom during lunch. Our son came home terrified. We thought about canceling it but instead called friends of ours and had three other couples to help out. There were black Mercedes cruising up and down our streets. There were older college age guys trying to sneak in around the side, we kept going through the party checking drinks and taking names but drugs and alcohol got in. Finally at mid-night we told everyone they had to leave and I remember two girls who were really drunk or stoned who didn’t even know our son and we tried to get them to let us take them home but they refused and ended up walking down the street, barely able to stand up. This was before cell phones and social media or I’m sure it would have been worse.
Yeah, and advertizing it as “drama free” painted a rather large target on it as well.
I wouldn't want to have such a party at a private residence.
These kids haven't even seen a serious hurricane in their lifetimes. And, frankly, they still haven't. So they probably won't believe the hype next time. (And some folks my age didn't believe the hype because of Gloria in 85.)
There wasn't much to do except move things out of the basement -- if you actually own the house instead of rent, that is -- buy some groceries, or just get ready to evacuate if you're by the shore.
Whenever I hear the word “GUNMAN” I want to know the NAME.
Bjorn? Jonathan? Benjamin? Thomas? What is the name of THIS “gunman?”
Hmm?
Are we having fun yet?
Wonder if the neighbors will cooperate with police to apprehend the “sneak”.
The people who came to the party late were not charged admission, so for them, the drama WAS free.
I doubt very much that the gunman’s name is known from the way the article is written.
Only one thing is going to stop this sort of behavior, and that is, making the punishment for such heinous crimes so brutal and horrifying that even the lowest of the low will think twice before acting on their twisted impulses.
I say bring back the guillotine and mount their heads on pikes in the public square. I’m totally serious. Nothing else will get their attention.
Who in their right mind advertises a party he is throwing for his teenage sister? Especially in a city like Queens!
You are inviting trouble to come to your door.
If you put it on a searchable media like Facebook you are multiplying your chances of trouble a thousand fold.
Anybody in the area can just search for ‘party queens’ and find you.
Look how many underage kids were there for free drinks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.