Robert Smith, 44, was identified as the masked gunman in the Coney Island July 4 barbecue shooting that injured eight people. He faces attempted murder charges. Robert Smith, a 44-year-old, was identified as the masked gunman responsible for the mass shooting at a family's Fourth of July barbecue party in Coney Island, New York City, on Saturday. Eight people were injured in the incident.Representational image. (Unsplash)The New York Police Department confirmed Robert Smith's identity on Wednesday, July 8 noting that he faces multiple counts of attempt to murder charges, the NYPD said in a post on X.As of now, the motive of the shooting remains unclear as the NYPD has not revealed any additional details regarding the circumstances of the shooting. The NYPD had said earlier that there was no exchange of words between Robert Smith and the family that fell victim to the mass shooting. It is also unclear if they knew each other.This story is being updated.Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles.
He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure.
