In the quiet hours before sunrise on Thursday, sirens broke the early morning stillness around Steinway Street in Astoria. In an apparent robbery attempt, people who know this stretch—lined with restaurants, small shops, and nightlife venues—were confronted with the news that a man had been shot and later pronounced dead on the sidewalk just outside the Riviera Gentlemen’s Club.
Police say the victim, a 45-year-old man from Brooklyn, was found near the club entrance at 34-48 Steinway Street. Emergency responders arrived quickly but were unable to save him. Detectives from the NYPD have classified the case as a homicide and are continuing their work at the scene and beyond.
Shooting outside Riviera Gentlemen’s Club
Authorities describe the shooting as occurring on the sidewalk, not inside the club. Officers cordoned off the area while investigators processed the scene through the night. According to police and local reporting, the incident appears to have begun as an attempted robbery. Witness accounts and surveillance footage, as described by investigators, indicate a confrontation that escalated into gunfire.
Nearby businesses and early-morning workers encountered a crime scene where they normally expect routine activity. Patrols and investigators remained on Steinway Street into the morning, collecting evidence and speaking with people who were in the area at the time. Detectives are also reviewing multiple streams of video from nearby cameras to piece together the sequence of events.
NYPD releases images and seeks suspect
The NYPD has circulated images of a person they believe is connected to the incident and asked anyone with information to come forward. Police routinely turn to the public for tips in cases like this, hoping that someone who passed by, works in the area, or saw something unusual can provide details that help the investigation.
Investigators asked that anyone with relevant information contact NYPD homicide investigators. Authorities have emphasized that the investigation remains active and that they are following leads as they develop. In cases involving public requests for assistance, law enforcement typically reviews tips, checks additional footage, and conducts door-to-door canvassing when appropriate.
An incident described as an attempted robbery
Officials say the shooting appears tied to an attempted theft, though investigators are still working to confirm motive and all circumstances surrounding the encounter. The NYPD is seeking additional witnesses and any video that might show the events leading up to the shooting.
For the people who work late shifts, keep nearby businesses running, or live near Steinway Street, the scene was an unwelcome disruption to routines. It also required first responders and investigators to coordinate through the early hours to secure evidence and provide answers where they could.
A secondary note on information and reporting
Reporting on the incident is ongoing. For additional coverage and the latest updates from local journalists, see the story from amNewYork.
As investigators continue their work, the practical steps that follow this kind of incident are familiar: collecting and reviewing video, interviewing witnesses, and following leads that might come from the public. Those efforts take time and careful coordination between detectives, forensic teams, and community members who may hold pieces of the story.
We live in neighborhoods made up of ordinary routines, and when an event like this happens it interrupts those routines for workers, residents, and visitors alike. While there are often more questions than answers in the immediate aftermath, we can rely on the steady work of first responders and investigators and on neighbors who share what they know. If you have information about what happened on Steinway Street early Thursday, please contact NYPD homicide investigators so the family and the community can have clarity.
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In earlier meetings, a bright light behind Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Vice President and General Counsel Gretchen Robinson had left her face nearly invisible. On July 2, 2020, with Susan Rosenthal gone and a new administration forming, Gretchen appeared fully lit.
