Woman ‘shot while parking her CitiBike in Manhattan’

• Woman was shot in the stomach as she parked her CitiBike at 8am Wednesday
• Police were called to Astor Place in East Village following reports two people had been shot in an attempted murder-suicide
• The gunman is believed to have suffered self-inflicted gunshot wounds
• Witnesses at the scene heard three to four gunshots

By Emily Crane and Hannah Parry For Dailymail.com

Published: 08:14 EDT, 1 November 2017 | Updated: 10:33 EDT, 1 November 2017

A 56-year-old woman has died after being shot in the stomach as she parked her CitiBike in Manhattan before the male gunman then killed himself in a murder-suicide.

Police were called to Astor Place in the East Village at about 7.50am on Wednesday to reports that two people had been shot.

The victim and the 52-year-old gunman were known to each but their relationship is not yet clear, according to NYPD officials.

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The woman was shot in the stomach while parking her CitiBike at Astor Place in Manhattan just before 8am on Wednesday

A witness told DailyMail.com the woman was parking her CitiBike when the gunman shot her

The woman was rushed to nearby Bellevue hospital with life-threatening injuries but she later died, according to police.

Authorities say the gunman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Multiple witnesses say they heard at least three gunshots before seeing the man and woman lying near each other on the ground with blood pooling around them.

'Definitely heard three clearly, the first one I heard right away,' one witness told DailyMail.com.

'I was standing in front of Kmart… I saw cops running and responding to the "pops".'

Police were called to Astor Place in the East Village at about 7.50am on Wednesday where they found two people with gunshot wounds

The woman was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to authorities

The gunman is believed to have suffered self inflicted gunshot wounds. He was loaded into an ambulance (above) shortly after 8am on Wednesday

Emergency crews simultaneously worked to stabilize the man and woman (above) who were lying near each other on the sidewalk

Witnesses say the gunman, pictured above being treated, was wearing a silver bike helmet when he opened fire

Dennis Santiago, 44, was on his way to work when he heard two gunshots.

'I came round the corner in my car, and I saw the third shot go right underneath,' he told the DailyMail.com, miming putting a gun under his chin, and pulling the trigger.

'I was coming round the corner in my car when I heard the first two shots and four seconds later I saw the third.'

Santiagio said he hadn't heard any arguing before the gunshots.

He jumped out of his car and ran over to the scene.

'I put my foot on the gun, it seemed small, a 22. Calibre maybe,' he said.

'I put my foot on the gun so no-one would take it,' he added, saying he waited with his foot on the weapon until police arrived.

A blood stain was spotted on the ground after the two people injured in the shooting were rushed to hospital

The shooting happened right out the front of the Cooper Union Library in East Village

The man and woman, who witnesses described as in their 40s, are currently in stable conditions in Bellevue hospital

Several NYPD officers remained behind after the victims were rushed to hospital to examine the scene

Nurul Zahangir, an MTA dispatch controller for the buses across the street, said he also heard three gunshots.

'I heard three 'pops'. We all started running. Lots of people started running towards the subway stop. When you hear a gunshot you run,' he said.

'When I walked over (the injured) were on the floor. I was very scared. I've never experienced anything like that before.'

Edward Lopez, 27, was at his job at the New York Health and Raquete Club, opposite the shooting, when he heard the commotion outside.

'I walked around and saw two people lying there, and a little blood but cops were huddling round,' he said.

'It just sucks. You think after all that stuff yesterday, things would start to be calming down. You don't want to walk outside and have to fear for your life. It's crazy.'

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