Brooklyn, New York — A 33-year-old mother of five was killed in the early-morning hours Sunday after a stray bullet struck her during a chaotic street fight in Brooklyn, turning a neighborhood gathering into a deadly scene of violence.
The shooting happened around 2:23 a.m. near the Ooh La La Lounge at Bergen Street and Howard Avenue in Crown Heights, according to police and sources.
Authorities said a fight involving a group of approximately 100 people had broken out outside the establishment when gunfire erupted.
Hartzog was not believed to be involved in the dispute. Instead, police said she was an unintended target when a bullet struck her in the back.
Mom Ran Inside Bar After Being Shot
After being hit, Hartzog desperately ran into the nearby bar seeking help. She made it inside but soon collapsed in a restroom, where she was found suffering from her injuries.
Emergency medical personnel rushed her to One Brooklyn Health-One Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, but doctors were unable to save her.
Her death has left five children without their mother and a family struggling to understand how an innocent woman could become the victim of violence she had nothing to do with.
“They killed her, that’s what happened,” Hartzog’s grieving aunt, Melinda Hartzog, told The Post.
“She was the best person in the world,” her aunt said, emphasizing that Hartzog left behind five young children.
Neighbor Remembers a Devoted Mother
People who knew Hartzog described her as a loving and devoted mother who took pride in her children.
Neighbor Jennifer Ortiz recalled seeing Hartzog with her kids and said the children were frequently together, smiling and dressed neatly.
“That speaks volumes because I’m a mother of five children,” Ortiz said outside Hartzog’s home in Gravesend.
She remembered seeing the family together and described Hartzog as a mother who clearly cared deeply for her children.
“They always stay together. They’re always smiling, the little girl’s hair is always done,” Ortiz said.
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“I’m lost for words.”
Another Innocent Bystander Wounded
Hartzog was not the only person who appears to have been caught in the gunfire. A 34-year-old man was also struck, suffering a gunshot wound to the stomach.
Police said he was another unintended target. He was transported to NYC Health and Hospitals/Kings County Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators have not yet determined what sparked the original dispute that led to the shooting.
Suspects Released as Police Hunt Gunmen
The investigation remains active as detectives work to identify the people responsible for the gunfire.
Two men who reportedly matched descriptions of possible suspects were initially taken into custody. However, according to sources, both were released after police determined they were not involved in the shooting.
That leaves investigators searching for the actual perpetrators.
Police are expected to examine witness accounts and other evidence as they attempt to determine who fired the shots and what led to the violent confrontation outside the lounge.
For Hartzog’s family, however, the investigation cannot undo the loss of a mother who was simply in the wrong place when gunfire broke out.
Her death has also renewed painful questions about the consequences of chaotic street violence, where bullets can strike people who have no connection to the original dispute.
What are your thoughts on the tragic death of this mother of five? Should more be done to prevent gun violence in crowded neighborhood areas? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
