Two women are dead in what police are calling a murder-suicide on Manhattan’s Upper East Side Friday morning.
The incident occurred on July 26 around 9 a.m. in front of 519 E. 88 St., half a block from Gracie Mansion.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said during a press conference that officers from the 19th Precinct responded to several 911 calls of shots fired at the location. When officers arrived, they found a woman lying on the street behind a parked white Honda Civic, and a second woman laying on the sidewalk.
Both suffered gunshot wounds to the head.
The victim was identified as 45-year-old Marissa Galloway of East 86 Street. Kenny identified the shooter as 65-year-old Kathleen Lee of Chicago, Ill, a retired probation officer, and grandmother of Galloway’s 4-year-old son.
Kenny said Lee shot Galloway once in the head and once in the back before turning the gun on herself. Lee was pronounced dead at the scene. Galloway was taken to the hospital where she later died.
Galloway’s 1-year-old child was in the backseat of the car, but was not harmed during the incident.
“We have on video Ms. Galloway puts the child in the back seat of the car,” Kenny said. “She is then in the process of putting the stroller in the trunk where she approached by Ms. Lee who shoots her in the head, and then when she’s on the ground, shoots her in the back.”
According to the investigation, there was an ongoing custody battle between Galloway and the father of her 4-year-old son.
“This ongoing dispute has resulted in five domestic incident reports being taken by the NYPD, along with two complaint reports,” Kenny said.
No arrests were made as a result of any of the reports.
Police recovered two weapons at the scene. One was found on the sidewalk near Lee, and another from inside a tote bag that Lee was carrying.
Law enforcement was seen canvassing the area for evidence Friday morning. One witness, who was outside cleaning up, called 911 after he heard yelling and gunshots
“I ducked into my doorway for cover,” the witness said. “And then I looked up and saw the lady with the white hair fall onto the sidewalk. I thought something might have happened down by Gracie Mansion, and she was hit by a stray bullet. But then when I went closer, I saw there was another woman lying behind the car who was also shot.”
Local resident Naomi Eisenberg said “nothing like this has ever happened” in the neighborhood
“I’m shocked,” Eisenberg, who has lived in the area for 13 years, said. “I walk my dog by there every day. I hate that the city became dangerous. I don’t take the subway, I walk. It is terrible and it’s even scarier to be a Jew. I’m okay in my neighborhood. But there are areas that I will not go to.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
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