A woman was killed and two people were wounded early Monday in a shooting near a New York City migrant shelter. The shooting occurred around 3:30 am as a crowd gathered in a park on Randall’s Island to celebrate the results of Venezuela’s presidential election.
According to NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, at least two of the victims, including the deceased woman, were residents of the shelter. The suspected shooter, described by police as a man motivated by revenge for a prior robbery, opened fire from a distance of approximately 100 feet (30.5 meters) and then fled on a moped.
The 44-year-old woman who died suffered gunshot wounds to the face and back. A 31-year-old woman who was shot in the back and a 32-year-old man who was shot in the throat were hospitalized in stable condition. Their names have not been released by authorities.
The shooting took place in an athletic field, located a short distance from the shelter which houses around 3,000 migrants on any given night. NYPD spokesperson Tarik Sheppard confirmed that the crowd was celebrating the Venezuelan election results, but due to the public nature of the island, it was unclear if everyone present was staying at the shelter.
The shooting is believed to be a retaliation for a previous robbery. Authorities are investigating the incident and are working to apprehend the suspect.
President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of a third six-year term in Venezuela’s election, a result disputed by his critics. Thousands of people protested in the capital, Caracas, on Monday.
Randall’s Island, a public space adjacent to Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, houses New York City’s largest shelter for asylum seekers. The shelter opened in August 2023 to accommodate a surge in migrants after Texas Governor Greg Abbott began sending busloads of migrants to Democratic-led cities. The shelter comprises tents for dining and bathroom facilities, along with sports fields for sleeping quarters.
