Police say gunfire erupted inside a Johnson Avenue apartment just before 8 a.m. Thursday.
RIVERDALE, The Bronx — Two people were found dead and a third was critically wounded after a shooting inside a Riverdale apartment building Thursday morning, according to police, who said the case is being investigated as an apparent murder-suicide at a high-rise on Johnson Avenue.
Authorities said the shooting drew a swift response to the Winston Churchill apartment building after a doorman reported hearing a gunshot just before 8 a.m. Officers entered a lower-level unit and discovered two victims with fatal wounds and another person gravely injured. Police recovered firearms at the scene and said early evidence points to one person shooting two relatives before turning the gun on himself. The names of those involved were not released pending family notification. Investigators emphasized that the incident appears contained within the apartment and that there is no wider threat to the building or neighborhood.
Police described a rapid chain of events. After the 911 call from the building staff, officers and EMS arrived within minutes and secured the hallway and service areas near the apartment. Inside, they found a woman who had been shot and could not be saved despite attempts by first responders, as well as a man dead with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A second woman, believed to be a relative, suffered a gunshot wound to the face and was rushed in critical condition to a Manhattan hospital. Officers taped off corridors while detectives canvassed cameras and spoke to residents. “Everything we are seeing right now is consistent with a murder-suicide,” one official said, noting that the investigation remains active.
Officials said the shooting unfolded in a section of Riverdale where serious violence is uncommon. The Winston Churchill is a 20-story co-op near Kappock Street, overlooking the Hudson River. Building staff told investigators they heard a single shot before multiple rounds followed. Detectives collected shell casings from inside the unit and logged two handguns into evidence. A preliminary review of lobby and elevator video established who entered and exited the building around the time of the gunfire, police said. The wounded survivor underwent emergency treatment; her condition later Thursday remained critical. Detectives are also reviewing prior calls for service connected to the apartment, though they did not immediately detail any previous domestic incidents.
Neighbors said they woke to sirens and an unusual police presence on Johnson Avenue as officers closed a lane to manage emergency vehicles. Residents who passed the lobby described yellow tape, uniformed officers posted at the elevators, and detectives moving in and out with evidence bags. Several tenants said the family involved had lived in the building for years and generally kept to themselves. A woman walking her dog said the morning felt “eerie and silent,” and another resident said staff had alerted them to avoid the lower floors while investigators worked. Police urged patience as officers escorted residents through secure areas to access their apartments.
Investigators are now working to establish a clear timeline and motive. Detectives are interviewing relatives and building employees, as well as checking state and federal databases to confirm firearm registrations and past permits tied to the recovered weapons. The medical examiner will conduct autopsies to confirm causes of death and toxicology testing. The NYPD said it will release identities after the medical examiner confirms next of kin have been notified. Officials plan to review calls to 911 and 311, apartment maintenance records, and any prior domestic-related reports connected to the household.
Authorities said any formal briefings will follow once next-of-kin notifications are complete and preliminary forensic tests return. Detectives expect to review additional surveillance video from the garage and building perimeter. If the survivor’s condition improves, investigators will seek an interview to better understand what led to the gunfire. As of Thursday night, the building had reopened common areas while the apartment remained sealed under police guard.
By Thursday evening, police said their early conclusion of an apparent murder-suicide had not changed. The survivor remained hospitalized in critical condition, and the investigation shifted to motive and the shooter’s actions in the minutes before the incident. Further updates were expected after the medical examiner’s report and identification of the victims.
Author note: Last updated January 23, 2026.