A 44-year-old man was fatally shot late Saturday during a block party celebrating the New York Knicks’ NBA Championship victory in Brooklyn, authorities and residents said.

Emanuel “Manny” Spencer was struck multiple times shortly after the final buzzer at approximately 11:40 p.m. near his home on Lincoln Road close to Flatbush Avenue in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, according to police. Emergency responders transported Spencer to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Neighbors described the gathering as a festive outdoor celebration with chairs, barbecue grills, and tables scattered across the street. The shootings occurred amid what residents said had been nightly events throughout the NBA Finals. One local, who asked not to be named, recounted stepping outside after the Knicks’ victory to find a crowd of jubilant revelers when gunfire suddenly erupted.

“I heard probably like two or three gunshots and then the crowd running,” she said. “There were so many people. I don’t understand what happened.” She added that she immediately took her child back inside her home after the chaos began.

Spencer’s younger brother, who also declined to provide his name, described him as a family-oriented man who enjoyed sports and music. “His day was going good,” he said. “Everybody was just watching the basketball game, relaxing.” Another neighbor, who had known Spencer for some time, characterized him as calm and respectful, noting that nothing seemed unusual in recent interactions.

Authorities have yet to identify a motive or suspects in the shooting, and no arrests have been made in connection with the incident. A police source stated that Spencer had a criminal history including arrests related to robbery, narcotics, and a reckless endangerment charge from March 2024.

The shooting occurred against the backdrop of the Knicks’ historic championship win, which also sparked widespread celebrations elsewhere in the city. Police reported arresting 63 individuals around Times Square after disorder erupted following the victory.

The investigation into Spencer’s death remains ongoing. Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward with information.