The NYPD Force Investigation Unit is investigating a broad daylight shootout in East Harlem. Two 15-year-olds were shot in the leg along 2nd Avenue near East 123rd Street around 5:30 p.m. Monday. Two NYPD officers were responding to an unrelated 911 call near the Wagner Houses when they heard the gunfire. One of the officers fired in the direction of the gunmen, then ensued on a foot chase, according to Chief of Patrol Philip Rivera. The Force Investigation Unit is looking into whether either of the teens were hit by an officer. Surveillance video showed people run for their lives as shots were exchanged across 2nd Avenue. One of the teens shot fell to the ground in the street before he got up and hopped across the sidewalk to take cover.

Seconds later, two NYPD officers ran across 2nd Avenue up East 123rd Street toward 3rd Avenue. A 15-year-old and 18-year-old, identified as Damien Calhoun, were arrested. According to investigators, Calhoun was released from custody in July on an attempted murder charge from 2024 and was awaiting a November court hearing for the case. "On July 23, 2025, he pled guilty to attempted murder for an incident that occurred on November 2024 when he was 17 years old. Because of the Raise the Age law, he was released from custody in July and was back out on the streets. This next court date for the attempted murder charge was scheduled for November 2025, the 15-year-old shooter has an open pending case in Manhattan for a violent felon," said Rivera. Coffee cups were used as evidence markers for at least 10 shell casings on the ground outside of the Wagner Houses, nearly a dozen more bullets were scatted across the sidewalk near an East Harlem elementary and high school. Officers found a loaded handgun in Calhoun's backpack that had the capacity to fire at least 30 rounds. "As of right now, we are not sure if anybody else went into the hospital, but I think we are fortunate that the officers were here to mitigate that threat and take two people into custody," said Rivera.