Valley Stream shooting: 1 dead, 4 injured after man shoots at 'illegal' foam party outside Dopie's World, police say

A gunman opened fire Monday night at "an illegal party" in Valley Stream, killing a Brooklyn man and injuring four others, including a 12-year-old boy, Nassau County police said.

The shooter, who was still at large Tuesday, crossed the Queens border about 8:30 p.m. Monday and opened fire on a "foam party" at an event space at 85 Ocean Ave., said Nassau County Det. Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, head of the homicide division. 

"He fired eight times striking multiple people," Fitzpatrick said.

The 20-year-old Brooklyn man, later identified by police as  DeAndre Carter, was shot in the chest and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was not identified pending notification of next of kin. 

The 12-year-old boy was shot through the shoulder while standing in a doorway, according to police. He was hospitalized and is recovering. 

Two 17-year-old boys from Elmont were also shot, one in the knee and the other in the back of the leg, police said.

A 17-year-old girl was cut on the hand, but police were unsure if it was caused by broken glass or a bullet.

Fitzpatrick said the party had been advertised on social media.

Police did not say why, or if, the party was specifically targeted. The gunman was only described as wearing dark clothing. Police suspect he used a semi-automatic weapon.

The party had about 50 to 60 people inside the venue, near 131st Avenue, including children accompanied by adults, police said. Foam parties offer dancing amid soapy foam generated by a foam machine.

Police said the suspect "fired multiple rounds while on 131st Ave and then fled on foot in an unknown direction."

Police later located a flyer for the party circulating on social media, charging admission with a DJ from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. 

The party was illegally serving alcohol and possibly liquid marijuana, Ryder added.

Detectives said they are looking at prior incidents and parties with violence to see if they are related. 

Instagram posts reviewed by Newsday showed the party was being promoted by a trio of hosts. The posts, which include a video shot outside the Frederick Douglass Houses in Manhattan, promoted performances by “top NYC DJs” and a rapper. 

Other events promoted by the same group include a Long Island pool party earlier this month, a party on the last day of high school in June and several holidays. For most of the parties, the address is only shared with people who message the hosts.

The injured 12-year-old boy said he was not drinking alcohol, but he had been at these types of parties several times, Fitzpatrick said.

Ryder said operators of the venue could face additional charges after they are identified.

Camille Russell, a Westbury attorney for Deborah Young, who identified herself to Newsday as the owner of the Ocean Avenue venue, said she has not spoken with police and was not aware of any pending charges.

"I think it would be a stretch to charge her with anything criminal," Russell said. "There's nothing she should be held for."

NYPD Assistant Chief Joseph Kenny of the detective bureau said borough commanders in Brooklyn have been alerted for possible retaliation in connection with the shooting since two of the victims lived there.

"It seems that there are a group of kids who hang out right on the border, it happened at Valley Stream on their [Nassau] side," Kenny said. "The border is a stone's throw away from the Queens border."

Nassau County police plan to increase patrols in Valley Stream where the shooting occurred.

Young said the space, known as Dopie’s World, was being rented for an "end of summer going-away celebration."

"I’m in disbelief, distraught … it's a tragedy," Young said while standing outside the bullet-ridden strip mall on Ocean Avenue, where droplets of blood and shattered glass could be seen on the sidewalk Tuesday morning. 

"We've never had anything like this happen before," Young said. "Clearly things got out of hand. The person that was struck took refuge in my event space and unfortunately, I heard he didn't make it."

Young said the venue was rented out from 3 to 10 p.m. and the contract stipulated no alcohol on the premises. Young added that she was not at the venue at the time of the shooting.

"Whatever transpired, [it was] outside, not inside," she said. "This is something that should not have happened, and we need more gun control."

About 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nassau County police officers took down yellow police tape after crime scene detectives cleared the area and reopened Hook Creek Boulevard, which had been closed in both directions from Merrick Boulevard to Washington Avenue for several hours because of the investigation. 

Crews were sweeping up broken glass and boarding up windows. Police marked bullet holes as evidence; bullets also pierced a neighboring dance and self-defense studio.

Della Gibbs, 81, of nearby Rosedale, Queens, noted that someone was killed at an area bodega a few years ago, but the neighborhood on the Queens border is otherwise quiet.

“I’ve been living here for 49 years and raised my kids here," she said. "We’ve never had any problems.”

She said her goddaughter heard shots fired Monday night. 

"'Bang, bang, bang!' she said. "I’m terrified."