A quiet Sunday morning in Crown Heights turned tragic when gunfire erupted on a crowded Brooklyn street, leaving a 33-year-old mother of five dead and a 34-year-old man wounded.
The shooting happened around 2:23 a.m. Sunday, August 16, 2026, near Bergen Street and Howard Avenue, according to the NYPD and local reports. Police said a large crowd of roughly 100 people had gathered near Ooh La La Lounge and Bar when a verbal dispute broke out before shots were fired.
The woman was identified as Sofronie Hartzog, 33, of Gravesend, Brooklyn. Police said she was struck in the back and taken to Brookdale Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A 34-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was transported to Kings County Hospital in stable condition.
Investigators believe both victims may have been unintended targets. Surveillance footage reportedly showed a black vehicle circling the block around the time of the shooting, while detectives continued working to determine who opened fire and what triggered the confrontation.
As of the latest reports, no arrests had been announced. Authorities were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the gunfire.
Hartzog’s death has brought particular grief because she was a mother of five. Neighbors described her as a devoted mother whose children were often seen together and well cared for.
For her family, children and community, the tragedy represents a devastating loss. As investigators continue searching for answers, those who knew Hartzog are left mourning a mother whose life was abruptly taken amid violence she was not believed to have been involved in.