Family of Coney Island mass shooting victims says promises of support from the city have fallen short
It's been 55 days since gunfire erupted in a Coney Island courtyard, where family members had gathered for a Fourth of July barbecue.
More than seven weeks after a July 4 mass shooting in Coney Island left eight members of the same family injured, relatives say their recovery remains an uphill battle marked by trauma, financial strain and unanswered promises of support.
It's been 55 days since gunfire erupted in a Coney Island courtyard, where family members had gathered for a Fourth of July barbecue.
Among those injured was 21-year-old Deja Williams, who was shot in the chest.
"My daughter is suffering from life-changing experiences," said Tiffany Deas, whose two daughters were among those wounded. "It's not normal and it's unfair to her. She can't go out and do the things that a normal 21-year-old can do."
Deas witnessed two of her daughters being shot, along with several young nephews. While the physical injuries are beginning to heal, she says the emotional and financial burdens have become overwhelming.
Family members continue to face mounting medical expenses, sleepless nights and difficult choices about how to support their loved ones while maintaining their households.
"My brother was home taking care of his kids, and now he's forced to choose between being a provider or being a parent," Deas said. "He had to go back to work."
Deas said she is also struggling to care for her daughter while living on disability benefits from a separate work-related injury.
"Whatever payments that I get from my job, I have to use that to support Deja," she said.
Authorities have since charged two 44-year-old men in connection with the shooting. But according to the family, those arrests have done little to ease the fear and trauma that remain.
"Where are the crisis counselors? Where are the victim support services? Where's the city? Where's the mayor?" Deas said. "The city, the mayor, and all these organizations made promises to us, and none of those promises were kept."
In the days following the shooting, gun violence interrupters, community advocates and city leaders, including Mayor Mamdani, publicly rallied around the family and pledged support.
But Deas says much of that support faded as public attention shifted elsewhere.
"Our children have been traumatized. Our family has been traumatized," she said. "And while the city moves forward, we are still living with the aftermath of July 4."
For Deas and her family, recovery isn't measured by arrests or headlines. They say the effects of that night continue to shape every aspect of their daily lives.
