Manhattan, NY — A woman was fatally shot by the grandmother of her child in a shocking murder-suicide on Friday morning on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
The incident unfolded just before 9 a.m. on East 88th Street between York and East End Avenue, a normally tranquil area close to the entrance of Gracie Mansion. The neighborhood, bustling with parents and children, was thrown into chaos as shots rang out, sending people scrambling for cover.
The NYPD’s Chief of Detectives, Joseph Kenny, reported that the tragedy stemmed from a bitter custody dispute. Marissa Galloway, 45, was placing her 1-year-old child in the car and loading a stroller into the trunk when she was approached by Cathleen Lee, the 65-year-old grandmother of her 4-year-old son. Lee, who had traveled from Chicago, brandished a 9mm Glock and shot Galloway first in the head and then again in the back as she lay on the ground.
Lee then turned the gun on herself, collapsing on the sidewalk, where she was later pronounced dead. The scene left Galloway critically wounded; she was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter. Miraculously, the child in the car was unharmed.
Investigations revealed a long history of domestic strife within the family. The NYPD had documented at least five prior reports of domestic disputes involving the family, in addition to two other complaints. The ongoing custody battle between Galloway and the father of her 4-year-old son was known to authorities.
At the crime scene, detectives recovered the 9mm firearm used by Lee and discovered a second gun concealed in her tote bag, adding a disturbing layer to the tragic incident.
