Detectives searched Aqueduct Avenue after Reyna Caceres was shot shortly after midnight.
BRONX, N.Y. — A Bronx woman was killed early Thursday after she was shot near Aqueduct Lands Playground in University Heights, prompting police to cordon off part of Aqueduct Avenue and search for evidence.
The victim, 23-year-old Reyna Caceres, was shot in the left eye around 12:10 a.m. Thursday, police said. She was taken by EMS to St. Barnabas Hospital and pronounced dead. No arrest had been announced, and police had not released a suspect description.
The shooting happened near 2158 Aqueduct Ave., at the edge of Aqueduct Lands Playground. Investigators placed crime scene tape around the playground gate, part of the sidewalk and an interior corner of the park. An NYPD spokesperson said, “Everything is still under investigation,” while confirming that no one had been taken into custody.
Police searched the area for evidence after the shooting. Items seen near the taped-off scene included cups, a speaker, a red pouch, a shopping bag and a hookah pipe. Investigators also looked at a gray Hyundai as they worked to determine where Caceres was standing or sitting when she was shot. Authorities had not said whether she was the intended target.
The shooting drew attention because it happened beside a playground and near schools in a dense part of the northwest Bronx. University Heights is a residential neighborhood with busy blocks, apartment buildings and nearby transit. The 46th Precinct covers the area, including University Heights and surrounding communities.
Detectives were expected to look for video from nearby buildings and speak with people who were outside late Wednesday and early Thursday. Some people at the scene said they heard several shots, but police had not confirmed how many rounds were fired. Officials had not released details about a weapon.
The killing left a quiet playground behind police tape Thursday morning as officers and crime scene investigators moved through the block. The area where children normally play became part of a homicide scene, with cones marking possible evidence and officers working along the curb.
Police said the investigation remained active Thursday afternoon. The next major step is whether detectives identify a suspect or release additional details about the moments before the shooting.
Author note: Last updated May 28, 2026.