Police said Reyna Caceres, 23, was shot near Aqueduct Lands Playground in University Heights.
NEW YORK — A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Reyna Caceres near a Bronx playground, police said, days after officers found her wounded on Aqueduct Avenue.
The teen, whose name was not released because of his age, was arrested Tuesday, June 2, in the 46th Precinct. Police said he was charged with murder, aggravated manslaughter, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment. The arrest moved the case from an active search for a suspect into the court system, though police have not said what led investigators to the teenager.
Officers responded at about 12:10 a.m. May 28 to a 911 call for an assault outside 2158 Aqueduct Avenue, near Aqueduct Lands Playground in University Heights. Police said they found Caceres with a gunshot wound to her left eye. Emergency medical workers took her to St. Barnabas Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. An NYPD spokesperson said the case remained under investigation after the arrest.
Caceres lived in the Bronx and was less than a mile from the scene when she was killed. The shooting happened near the playground entrance, across from P.S. 91 and not far from Bronx Community College. Local reports said the area was taped off after the shooting as investigators marked possible shell casings and examined items left near the sidewalk, including a speaker, cups and other belongings.
Police have not said whether Caceres was the intended target. Some local reports said shots were fired during a gathering near the playground, but the NYPD has not confirmed a motive or released a full account of what happened before the gunfire. Witnesses in the area told reporters they heard several shots, then declined to give more details. No other injuries were confirmed by police in the first public reports.
The 46th Precinct covers parts of University Heights, Fordham, Morris Heights and Mount Hope. The area has seen repeated concerns about gun violence and quality-of-life problems around Aqueduct Avenue and Aqueduct Walk. Community groups have also pushed improvements along Aqueduct Walk, which was designated the Bronx’s first scenic landmark in 2024.
The next steps in the case are expected to move through youth and criminal court procedures tied to the teen’s age and the severity of the charges. Police have not released information about an arraignment, possible co-defendants or whether investigators recovered a firearm. Detectives were still asking for information after announcing the arrest.
Caceres’ death added to a painful stretch for residents around the playground, where police tape and evidence markers drew attention before dawn. People who live nearby described hearing gunfire and seeing officers gather around the block. One resident told local media the neighborhood needs more resources for young people, linking the violence to deeper problems facing families in the area.
The investigation stood active Wednesday, June 3, with one teen in custody and several key details still unknown, including motive, target and whether anyone else may face charges.
Author note: Last updated June 3, 2026.