University Heights Shooting: Man Hit While Sitting in Car

May 9, 2026 — Police are looking for a man who opened fire on a vehicle in University Heights on Thursday evening, wounding a driver as he sat behind the wheel.

The shooting was reported shortly after 6 p.m. near 2 East 181st St., according to the NYPD. Investigators said the victim was inside a parked black sedan when a gunman approached and fired at least one round. The bullet struck the man on the left side of his torso. His age was not immediately released.

Paramedics rushed the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital, where his condition was said to be stable. Police said they expect him to survive.

At the scene, a black sedan with bullet holes remained under yellow tape for hours. Forensic teams documented the vehicle and collected evidence. The grouping of the strikes indicated the shooter fired directly toward the occupied car, but police have not said whether the attacker knew the victim or whether this was a random incident.

The suspect fled on foot after the shooting, heading southbound on Jerome Avenue. He was described as wearing a hooded sweatshirt and red headphones, a combination that may help witnesses place him in the crowd. No weapon was recovered, and no arrest had been made as of Friday morning.

The NYPD has not released a motive. Detectives are checking surveillance footage from local businesses and the elevated 4 train tracks nearby, which run above Jerome Avenue. Officers are also canvassing the block for anyone who heard the gunfire or saw the suspect run from the scene.

Police have not confirmed whether the sedan belonged to the victim or whether anyone else was inside the vehicle at the time. The close-range nature of the shooting, during the early evening when nearby sidewalks were still active, has added urgency to the investigation.

The victim’s identity is being withheld pending family notification. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. Tips can remain anonymous. Police also encourage witnesses to submit video footage at Crimestoppers.nypdonline.org.

Authorities are urging anyone who saw a man in a hoodie with red headphones in the University Heights area at the time to come forward. The investigation is ongoing, and additional updates may be released as detectives review video and interview residents.