New York

2 shot to death at carnival before NY West Indian Day Parade

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Crime scene investigators with the New York Police Department work at the scene where multiple people were killed and others injured in a shooting during J'ouvert festivities in the Brooklyn borough of New York on Monday, Sept. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (The Associated Press)

Crime scene investigators with the New York Police Department work at the scene where multiple people were killed and others injured in a shooting during J'ouvert festivities in the Brooklyn borough of New York on Monday, Sept. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (The Associated Press)

Crime scene investigators with the New York Police Department work at the scene where multiple people were killed and others injured in a shooting during J'ouvert festivities in the Brooklyn borough of New York on Monday, Sept. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (The Associated Press)

New York City police say two people have been shot to death during a carnival in the hours before the West Indian Day Parade.

Police say a male in his late teens or early 20s was shot in the chest at around 3:50 a.m. Monday in Brooklyn. He died at a hospital.

Police say about 25 minutes later, a 22-year-old woman was shot in the head just a block away and died at a hospital.

Police are investigating whether the shootings are related.

The shootings happened during J'ouvert (joo-VAY'), a carnival celebrating Caribbean culture held before dawn each Labor Day. The event is often marred by violence. Last year, an aide to the governor was killed by a stray bullet.