A young couple was found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in their Jackson Heights apartment at the corner of 34th Avenue and 84th Street.
Screenshot via Citizen
Homicide detectives from the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights are investigating the fatal shootings of a young couple in an apparent murder-suicide early Wednesday morning.
Police responded to a 911 call of multiple people shot inside an apartment building at 33-51 84th St. in Jackson Heights just before 2 a.m. on April 1. Upon their arrival, officers found a 20-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head and an 18-year-old woman with gunshot wounds to the head, torso and abdomen, police said.
EMS responded to the location and pronounced them dead at the scene. Their identities are being withheld pending proper family notification.
Police recovered a firearm at the scene.
There are no arrests and the homicide investigation remains ongoing.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos said she was devastated by the news in a post to social media later in the morning.
“Two very young people are dead in what authorities are investigating as a possible murder-suicide connected to domestic violence,” Ramos said. “Domestic violence is real and too often escalates to tragedy. If you or someone you know is in danger, call 911 or the NYC Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-4673. Confidential help is available.”
Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas echoed that sentiment.
“I am heartbroken by the devastating loss of two young lives in our community this morning,” she said. “This tragedy is deeply painful, and my thoughts are with their families, loved ones, and all those impacted as they navigate unimaginable grief.”
Neighbors reportedly heard the couple arguing in their apartment prior to the gunshots.
“This incident is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of intimate partner violence, an urgent crisis we must confront and end in New York State,” González-Rojas said. “We cannot accept this as inevitable. We must do more to protect survivors, intervene early, and ensure that people have safe pathways to seek help.”
She urged victims of domestic violence to reach out to her team.
“My office remains committed to connecting our community with critical resources, strengthening mental health service, and advancing efforts to prevent both intimate partner violence and the ongoing crisis of gun violence,” González-Rojas said.