IHOP Shooting On Long Island Leaves 1 Hurt, Suspect In Custody
LAKE RONKONKOMA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – Families were enjoying brunch at an IHOP in Suffolk County when police say a shooting sent bullets dangerously close to a child in a high-chair.
The incident happened just before 1:30 p.m. with a gunman opening fire at a table where three people were sitting, firing multiple shots and hitting one person, reports CBS2's Reena Roy.
Investigators believe this was a targeted attack, saying two groups at separate tables had some kind of disagreement earlier.
Police say initially calls came in for an active shooter and they arrived in about one minute.
"He was sitting down at one of the booths and he was just like everyone better get down and he rapidly fired the four to six shots and that's when everyone ran out, it scared me, it really scared me," witness Caleb Boehle said.
A family with a young child in a high chair was sitting next to the table where the shooting occurred. One woman had a close call with a bullet fragment grazing her sweater and ending up lodged in the fabric just centimeters from her body.
"I saw a woman running with her baby and what happens was the baby was crying hysterical. Her husband was running after her and grabbing the baby," said one witness. "One guy comes out gets in the getaway car and the cops don't realize it. I'm in the parking lot yelling there…. go over that way... and they got him."
Police have one person in custody who they believe is the shooter.
As of Monday evening, the shooting victim was recovering at a nearby hospital.