A Port Authority Police Department officer fatally shot his sister and critically wounded their elderly mother before taking his own life in a Bronx apartment on January 22, 2026, in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide.
Mario Garcia, 55, was found dead in the hallway of a first-floor apartment at 2500 Johnson Ave. in the Spuyten Duyvil section of the Bronx just before 8 a.m. His sister, Maria Garcia, 59, was discovered with a fatal gunshot wound to her head in a bedroom. Their 86-year-old mother was found shot in the face and rushed to Harlem Hospital, where she remained in critical but stable condition.
The doorman of the Winston Churchill Building called 911 after hearing gunshots. Responding officers from the 50th Precinct found Garcia lying in the hallway with a gunshot wound to his head. A firearm and Port Authority Police Department identification were found next to his body. Garcia was still wearing his pajamas when discovered.
Both deceased victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head. Emergency medical services pronounced them dead at the scene. Two firearms were recovered from the apartment. The NY AG’s official press release specifically states he used his “service weapon,” but multiple police sources told media it was NOT his service pistol.
Garcia had served with the Port Authority Police Department for 23 years and was most recently assigned to LaGuardia Airport. The incident has left the law enforcement community and neighbors in the quiet Riverdale neighborhood struggling to understand what led to the tragedy.
The shooting stemmed from a dispute over care for the siblings’ mother, who had recently moved in with Maria Garcia. The family had argued about caring for their mother. Their father is in a senior healthcare facility with dementia.
Maria Garcia had worked for New York State, most recently at the New York Department of State in planning and infrastructure. She intended to retire and was looking forward to traveling more.
The victims lived in a first-floor apartment in the building. The incident has shocked residents of the building and the surrounding neighborhood, an area known for its safety and quiet atmosphere.
The 50th Precinct covers Spuyten Duyvil and the nearby Riverdale section. The building, known as the Winston Churchill, houses a mix of large families, elderly tenants, and young professionals.
Police confirmed there was no history of domestic violence involving the family. The New York Police Department is investigating the incident as a murder-suicide, and no arrests have been made. Law enforcement officials are not searching for anyone else in connection with the shooting, and there is no further risk to the public.
The Port Authority Police Department declined to comment on the shooting and referred all inquiries to the New York Police Department.
The tragedy has raised questions about the pressures facing family caregivers and the challenges of managing care for aging parents. The situation becomes more complex when multiple siblings share responsibility for aging parents, particularly when one parent requires residential care while another remains at home.
The investigation into the exact sequence of events continues. The probe remains ongoing as detectives work to understand the full circumstances that led to the shooting.
