At least 8 people shot at 4th of July barbecue in Coney Island

NEW YORK (NBC, KYMA) - At least eight people were shot Saturday night in Brooklyn's Coney Island after a gunman approached a family barbecue and opened fire on the July 4th holiday.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said a masked gunman dressed in all black approached the fence line of a courtyard off Surf Avenue around 10:30 p.m. and opened fire, striking four adults and four children. There was no argument or altercation that led to the shooting, she said.

The victims range in age from six to 37 years old. Seven of the people shot are expected to survive, but a 21-year-old woman shot in the chest was critically wounded, according to police.

Commissioner Tisch said detectives were looking into a link between the shooting and recent gang activity in the neighborhood.

"Earlier this week, we had a confirmed gang-related homicide that occurred on the same block. We are looking into whether there was a connection between the two incidents," Tisch said.

The masked suspect fled on foot, but police did recover a gun.

No arrests have been made at this time.