Incident Overview
A deadly shooting occurred on the Upper East Side, involving two women in a car. The incident, which is being treated as a murder-suicide, left both women dead. A child in the back seat of the car was unharmed.
Scene Details
The incident took place on East 88th Street near East End Avenue. Police blocked off the road and the crime scene remained active as investigations continued. The shooting happened just before 9 a.m.
Victims and Suspect Information
The victim has been identified as 45-year-old Marissa Galloway. She was shot twice, in the head and lower back, and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The shooter, identified as 65-year-old Kathleen Lee, is the grandmother of Galloway’s four-year-old child. Lee shot herself after shooting Galloway.
Child in the Car
A one-year-old child was in the back seat of the car during the incident. Fortunately, the child was unharmed and remains safe.
Weapons Recovered
Police recovered two guns from the scene: one on the sidewalk and one in Kathleen Lee’s tote bag.
Motive
The preliminary motive is believed to be an ongoing custody dispute over the child. This dispute had led to five domestic incident reports and two complaint reports, none of which resulted in arrests.
Community Reaction
Residents in the neighborhood, which is close to Gracie Mansion, expressed shock and disbelief over the incident. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene with gunshots and immediate police response.
Police Statement
According to police, there had been multiple domestic incidents involving the parties, but none had previously led to arrests. The investigation remains ongoing.
This tragic event has left the community shaken, highlighting the devastating consequences of domestic disputes.