Bronx woman charged with murder in deadly west 174th street shooting

BRONX, NY – A 59-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a deadly shooting that left a young man dead on a Bronx street Sunday night.

Police said Denise Aponte was taken into custody following the fatal attack that claimed the life of 24-year-old Randy Blanche.

The shooting unfolded just before 8 p.m. on West 174th Street, where officers responding to a 911 call found Blanche lying on the pavement with multiple gunshot wounds to the head.

EMS rushed the victim to BronxCare Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Suspect faces multiple felony charges

Investigators charged Aponte with murder, manslaughter, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Details on the motive behind the shooting have not been released.

Police sources confirmed Aponte was arrested shortly after the incident, and the weapon used in the attack is being tested for evidence. Detectives are still working to determine whether the suspect and victim knew each other.

Ongoing investigation by the 46th Precinct

The NYPD’s 46th Precinct detectives are leading the investigation, canvassing for surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts. The area near West 174th Street remained taped off through the night as officers collected shell casings and other forensic evidence.

Authorities have not released information about any additional suspects but said the case remains active.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.