Man tracks down relative’s stolen car and shoots three teen girls inside, NY cops say

Three teenagers were taken to a hospital after New York police said they were shot by a man tracking down his relative’s stolen car.

Michael Brown, 23, fled the scene after the shooting and was later taken into custody, Syracuse officials said in a Nov. 5 news release.

He is charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm and criminal use of a firearm, a spokesperson for the Syracuse Police Department told McClatchy News.

Just before 11 p.m. Nov. 5, police responded to an area in northern Syracuse after receiving a ShotSpotter notification, which is a gunshot detection sensor used by law enforcement.

A short distance away, officers were flagged down by occupants of a Hyundai that had been reported stolen earlier that night, according to officials.

Two 14-year-olds and a 16-year-old were found shot inside the car, officials said. The 16-year-old sustained injuries to her arm and midsection, and she was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

The 14-year-olds were injured in the hip and leg, respectively, and are expected to survive.

Brown is a family member of the person who owns the Hyundai, officials said. He tracked down the car and found it with “several juveniles inside,” according to the release.

During an interaction with them, Brown shot into the car, striking the three teens.

A spokesperson for the Syracuse Police Department said the 16-year-old was still in critical condition as of Nov. 6.

This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Man tracks down relative’s stolen car and shoots three teen girls inside, NY cops say."