NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The NYPD said New York City’s Fourth of July fireworks are scheduled to go on as planned Monday after a gunman killed at least six people and injured dozens more at an Independence Day parade in Illinois.
As authorities continued to search for the suspect in the shooting in Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell tweeted that there were no credible threats to New York's celebrations, including the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show on the East River, and that the big gathering would go forth under the watchful eye of police.
“This morning’s mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, is a devastating reminder of the horrific damage gun violence inflicts on our communities,” Sewell said in a statement posted to Twitter shortly before 3:30 p.m.
“Everyone at the NYPD mourns with the victims and their families during this difficult time, and we fully support the courageous men and women of the Highland Park Police Department as they investigate this tragedy,” the commissioner continued.
“We want to assure New Yorkers that there are no specific, credible threats to our July Fourth celebrations here in New York City—and we plan to continue as scheduled,” Sewell said.
“Preparing and securing these types of large-scale events is what the members of the NYPD do on a daily basis, and we continue to work closely with our city, state and federal partners to ensure everyone’s safety,” she said.
A law enforcement source told the New York Post that the NYPD’s “deployment is already robust.”
“We’re watching everything,” the source said.
At least six people were killed and 24 wounded in the Highland Park shooting north of Chicago on Monday morning. Police were continuing to search for a suspect, described as a white male between 18 and 20 years old.
Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference that the gunman apparently opened fire on parade-goers from a rooftop using a “high-powered rifle” that was recovered at the scene.
“Very random, very intentional and a very sad day,” Covelli said.
Covelli said police believe there was only one shooter and warned that he should still be considered armed and dangerous, adding: “He could be in the city, he could be somewhere else.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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