A GoFundMe page has been launched to help support the family of Reyna Caceres, 23, who, as reported, was fatally shot in the eye in the early hours of Thursday, May 28, at Aqueduct Lands Playground in the University Heights section of The Bronx.

 

An accompanying message from the fundraising organizer, Antony Alvarado, reads, “It is with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of Reyna Caceres. Reyna was a smart, funny and kind person, who will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Reyna was an incredible older sister to her three younger siblings.”

THE CRIME SCENE AT 2158 Aqueduct Avenue in the University Heights section of The Bronx on May 28, 2026, after a shooting in which a 23-year-old woman died. Video by Síle Moloney

It continues, “There is nothing in the world she would not do for them. She loved them more than anything in the world. We want to thank everyone for all the kind words and support that they have already shown us. At this time, we are asking for some help in raising money to cover the costs of the funeral to honor her memory. Any donation is greatly appreciated and means more to us than words can say.”

 

In light of recent demands by the New York Attorney General Letitia James of transparency from GoFundMe on unauthorized fundraising, Norwood News asked GoFundMe for assurance that the fundraising page is legitimate and they confirmed it was. A representative provided adding the following message: “At GoFundMe, being a safe and trusted place to give and receive help is our top priority. To help keep the platform safe, donations are processed by our payment partners, held, and then released only to the person named as the recipient of the funds (the beneficiary). Before funds are transferred to the beneficiary, their personal information must be verified. If any questions arise, our processors will hold the funds until the recipient is verified.”

 

It continued, “For a fundraiser to be considered verified, it must go through an enhanced due diligence review process. This process includes both a robust human review from our world-class Trust & Safety experts as well as technical tools designed to catch misuse. It must be clear who the organizer is, as well as the person, business, or charity they are raising funds for, the organizer’s relationship to the recipient of the funds, and how the funds will be used. GoFundMe also has the first and only donor protection guarantee in the crowdfunding industry. We guarantee donors a full refund in the rare case something isn’t right. You can learn more about our Trust & Safety practices on our safety hub, as well as find tips that can be shared with your readers.” 

 

As reported, the NYPD initially said the shooting occurred around midnight on Wednesday, May 27, at 2158 Aqueduct Avenue, the location of Aqueduct Lands Playground, the entrance to which was later cordoned off by police along with an interior, corner section of the playground.

 

Police later said the 911 call was received at 00.10 a.m. on May 28. The playground is located diagonally across from P.S. 91.

 

The spokesperson continued, “We have a female, 23, shot in the left eye, taken to St. Barnabas Hospital by EMS, where she was pronounced deceased.”

 

She added that there were no arrests. “I don’t have a description for you [for a suspect] at this time,” she said. “Everything is still under investigation.” The deceased was later identified as Caceres from the University Heights section of The Bronx.

 

Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, on Tuesday, June 2, police said an unnamed 16-year-old male was arrested and charged on Tuesday, June 2, at 7.53 p.m. within the confines of the 46th Precinct, which covers some or all of the Bronx neighborhoods of Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights and Mt. Hope.

 

The youth has been charged with murder, aggravated manslaughter, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment.

 

The latest major crime statistics as of May 28 for the 46th Precinct, where the shooting took place, are attached.

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is hosting a gun buyback event on Saturday, June 13, at 10 a.m. at Central Baptist Church in Manhattan (flier attached).

 

Some news outlets reported later on Thursday morning that the shooting took place amid a gathering at the playground and that Caceres may not have been the intended target.

An apparent large music speaker which appeared to be connected to a cable, what looked like a black sweatshirt / hoodie / jacket, a red pouch with a zipper, a Target shopping bag, a hookah pipe, a plastic cup, and some red cone markers, presumably marking the location of some shell casings, were seen on the sidewalk behind a cordoned off section of Aqueduct Avenue outside Aqueduct Lands Playground.

 

The gate to the playground had also been cordoned off by police along with an interior corner section located adjacent to the cordoned off crime scene outside the playground on Aqueduct Avenue.

The red cone markers were seen both inside and outside the playground. A helicopter could be heard seemingly circling over the north central Bronx in the early hours of Thursday morning.

 

It’s unknown if it was a police helicopter, and whether or not it related to a potential search for suspects following the shooting.

 

As we made our way to the crime scene in the early hours of Thursday morning, a man who was smoking and standing outside a residential building on nearby Creston Avenue between 182nd Street and 181st Street, speaking in Spanish, asked Norwood News if we had seen a “lady” running down the block from 181st Street towards 182nd Street. We said we had not.

 

On arrival at 2153 Aqueduct Avenue, Norwood News spoke to a group of men and women, some of whom were seated on benches close to the playground area and some of whom were drinking, and asked if they knew what happened.

 

Two men said they heard multiple shots earlier and then declined to comment further. We also spoke to some local workers and residents in and around the area but each said they had no knowledge of what happened.

 

We will share any further updates we receive.

 

Aqueduct Avenue and nearby Aqueduct Walk have long been plagued with various quality-of-life issues, including open drug use and discarded needles, though Friends of Aqueduct Walk have done much to improve the area in recent years, with Aqueduct Walk designated The Bronx’s first scenic landmark in 2024.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the GoFundMe page can do so here.

 

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.