NEW YORK — The dedication ceremony for a museum in Queens did not go as planned when a surprise guest interrupted the ceremony for the new Louis Armstrong Center and sent a lawmaker to the hospital.
New York State Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry had just delivered a speech at the cultural center event Thursday morning when he was run over as he was walking offstage.
“The ability for us to come together today and celebrate this particular occasion is a blessing,” Aubry told the crowd gathered outside. The police had closed the street to traffic for the ceremony.
The man who bumped into the assemblyman was reportedly on the run after trying to steal some Yeezy sneakers.
Aubry, police said, suffered a head laceration and was transported from the Corona event on a stretcher by EMTs, who took him to a nearby hospital. He is expected to be fine.
The 23-year-old shooter had jumped out of his silver Hyundai after driving it down a closed street. Police said he managed to keep running after knocking down the 75-year-old Aubry, but was later caught.
Aaron Prashad, one of the EMTS who helped, said the incident could have been much worse. The car apparently got quite close to the crowd.
“He backed up and turned to the right to run over people,” Prashad said.
