Police said the teenager was wounded early Wednesday near Rockaway Boulevard and remained hospitalized in stable condition.
NEW YORK — A 13-year-old boy was shot twice early Wednesday while walking to a store in the Jamaica section of Queens, police said, prompting a search for the gunman as detectives worked to determine why the teenager was targeted.
The shooting happened shortly before 12:35 a.m. near Rockaway Boulevard and 145th Street. Police said the boy was approached by a suspect and was shot in the back and left hand. He was taken to a children’s hospital, where authorities said he was in stable condition.
The gunman fled on foot after the shooting, according to police. Authorities described the suspect as a male who was wearing all black and said he was last seen heading north on 145th Street. Police had not announced an arrest as of Wednesday.
Investigators currently believe the shooting was unprovoked, according to police. Authorities had not released information indicating that the teenager and the person who shot him knew each other, and no motive had been established. Police also had not publicly identified the boy because he is a minor.
Officers responded to a 911 call at about 12:30 a.m. and located the wounded teenager in the area of Rockaway Boulevard and 145th Street. One report said he was found at a property there after the shooting. Authorities had not publicly detailed the full sequence of events between the initial gunfire and the officers’ arrival.
The shooting occurred during the overnight hours in South Jamaica, a residential and commercial part of southeastern Queens. Police continued to gather information Wednesday as they worked to identify the person who opened fire and determine what led to the attack.
Authorities had released only a limited description of the suspect. No additional identifying details were immediately made public, and police had not announced the recovery of a weapon or disclosed other evidence connected to the shooting.
The teenager’s condition provided the clearest positive development in the hours after the attack. Despite being struck twice, he was reported stable after receiving hospital treatment. Authorities did not release additional information about his recovery.
The investigation remained open Wednesday, with no arrest announced and the circumstances surrounding the shooting still under review. Police had not identified a motive or said when additional information might be released.
Author note: Last updated November 11, 2026.