According to the NYPD, a child custody dispute on the Upper East Side of Manhattan turned deadly on Friday, resulting in the tragic deaths of a mother and grandmother.
The incident occurred at approximately 9 a.m. on East 88th Street, situated between York and East End Avenue. The location is nearby the entrance of Gracie Mansion.
An attempted murder-suicide on the Upper East Side of Manhattan is currently under investigation by the police.
As the shots rang out, people who were out enjoying the day, some even with baby strollers, immediately ran for cover.
According to Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny of the NYPD, a custody dispute was the reason behind the heart-wrenching murder-suicide incident.
As Marissa Galloway, aged 45, was putting her child in the car and placing a stroller in the trunk, the child’s grandmother approached her.
Leigh, a resident of Chicago, tragically took her own life by shooting herself in the head on the sidewalk. Medical personnel arrived on the scene, but unfortunately, she was pronounced dead.
Unfortunately, Galloway was immediately taken to the hospital, but despite all efforts, she passed away later on.
The shooting incident did not harm the child’s father, but it did occur amidst a custody battle between Galloway and him.
According to records, the NYPD documented a minimum of five domestic dispute incidents within the family, along with two additional complaint reports.
According to Kenny, Leigh was found with a 9mm gun on the sidewalk, and another firearm was discovered in her tote bag.
According to Kenny, she has been residing with her family members in New York City for the past three years since retiring as a Cook County probation officer.
With years of running experience and a solid background as a track coach at Fordham University, Galloway was a seasoned athlete.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Marissa and her loved ones during this difficult time. The university community is profoundly saddened by her tragic passing,” expressed the university.
For 17 years until 2019, she devoted herself as a volunteer assistant track and field coach at Fordham, being an alumna of the same university.
During his career, Galloway also had experience working as a teacher in Westchester.
The suspect is not related to Galloway’s 1-year-old daughter, who was not present during the incident. Galloway’s son was the only child involved in the tragedy.
