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2 men dead after being found in or near NYC parks in suspicious circumstances: Police
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 19, 2026
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Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 19, 2026
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Police are investigating the deaths of two men under suspicious circumstances in or near city parks — one in Queens and the other in the Bronx — NYPD officials said Tuesday.
Officials said the deaths do not appear related and have not been ruled homicides.
Officers responded to the first incident just before 5 p.m. Monday inside Kissena Park in East Flushing, according to authorities. When police arrived, they found 75-year-old Albert Itzkowitz unresponsive near the shore of the park’s lake with gunshot wounds to his neck and back.
Emergency medical workers came to the scene and pronounced Itzkowitz dead, police said. Authorities were still investigating and did not make any immediate arrests.
Then, just after midnight, police responded to a 911 call about an assault in progress at the Rev. T. Wendell Foster Park basketball courts in West Concourse, according to the NYPD. When officers arrived, they found a 37-year-old man unconscious in front of 1015 River Ave., an address for the park, which is located behind Yankee Stadium.
First responders took the man to Lincoln Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police did not immediately identify the man as they worked to notify his family, and were still investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Authorities said the city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would determine how he died.
This story is based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.
Tagged
bronx
new york city
parks
public safety
queens
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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