CNN
—
A shooting on the Shirley, New York, property of Rep. Lee Zeldin on Sunday left two injured, the congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate said in a statement. Zeldin’s family was unhurt.
“My 16 year old daughters, Mikayla and Arianna, were at our house doing homework, while my wife, Diana, and I were in the car, having just departed the Bronx Columbus Day Parade in Morris Park,” Zeldin said.
The two individuals who were shot had been laying down under the family’s front porch and in the bushes in front of the porch, Zeldin said.
“After my daughters heard the gunshots and the screaming, they ran upstairs, locked themselves in the bathroom and immediately called 911. They acted very swiftly and smartly every step of the way and Diana and I are extremely proud of them.”
The circumstances of the shooting were unclear. But Suffolk County Police said the shooting has no connection to the Zeldin family. A police spokesperson said the two people injured in the incident have been transported to area hospitals for treatment.
Zeldin said police investigators came to his home, and security footage was provided from the family’s home cameras. He said he did not know the identities of the two people.
“My daughters are shaken, but ok,” he said. “Like so many New Yorkers, crime has literally made its way to our front door. My family is grateful to all who have reached out and we will provide another update when we can.”
Zeldin has made criticism of rising crime a central theme in his gubernatorial campaign against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. He was attacked by a man holding a sharp object on the campaign trail in July.
