A 19-year-old basketball player from Monroe University was killed in a triple shooting on Long Island late Saturday night, leaving the campus community in shock just hours after she played a season-high 30 minutes in a game.
Amira McLeod, a guard on the Monroe University Express women’s basketball team, was pronounced dead at the scene near Willow Avenue and Kennedy Avenue in Hempstead around 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. Two 20-year-old men, students at Nassau Community College, were also shot during the incident and were taken to a hospital in stable condition and later released.
Nassau County police responded to a ShotSpotter notification that alerted officers to gunfire in the area. The shooting occurred during a house party, though authorities have not released details about what led to the violence or whether any of the victims were specifically targeted.
McLeod, a sophomore from Queens studying Business Administration at Monroe University’s Bronx campus, had competed in a game earlier that Saturday. The Express defeated Dutchess Community College 67-44, with McLeod playing 30 minutes and contributing two points, four rebounds and four steals. The team held an 8-1 record at the time of the incident.
The 5-foot-3-inch guard was in her second year with the team. According to her biography on the university’s athletics website, she chose Monroe University because she “wanted to be surrounded by a group of people who care about me but also my future as well.” She had expressed dreams of eventually owning her own clothing and sneaker store.
Monroe University released a statement addressing the loss. “The Monroe University community is devastated by the tragic loss of student Amira McLeod, a cherished member of our Express women’s basketball team, who was killed during an off-campus gathering in Hempstead, Long Island,” the statement read. The university confirmed it is in close contact with McLeod’s family, teammates, and roommates.
The institution has made grief counselors available on campus to support students during this difficult time. The school described the broader impact on its community as devastating, emphasizing the support being offered to all who knew McLeod.
Nassau Community College also issued a statement Sunday evening confirming the two injured men are current students at the institution. “Both were hospitalized but have since been discharged and are expected to make full recoveries,” the college said. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this senseless act of violence.”
A neighbor who was present during the incident, Jagesly Castellone, described hearing the gunshots. “I thought it was a car and after, I heard a car zoom by,” she told News 12. “Me and my sister ran out to go see what happened. We went to the corner and there was someone laying there on the floor and then they covered their body. Everybody then started freaking out.”
Another witness, Makail Muhammad, was inside the party when the shooting erupted. He told reporters that everything happened suddenly without warning. The violence took place outside the residence, catching those inside by surprise.
Another neighbor, Tanner Hynes, said he knew the two men who were injured and confirmed they were recovering. The incident occurred in a residential area near the intersection of Willow and Kennedy Avenues, where police established a crime scene that remained active into Sunday.
As of Sunday evening, Nassau County police had not made any arrests in connection with the shooting. Investigators have not released information about potential suspects or revealed what sequence of events led to the gunfire. The shooting remains under active investigation.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers. The tipline, which guarantees anonymity for all callers, can be reached at 1-800-244-TIPS. Police are actively seeking assistance from the public as they work to piece together what happened during the off-campus gathering.
The shooting has raised concerns about safety at off-campus gatherings attended by college students. McLeod’s death marks a significant loss for the Monroe University athletics program, which had been experiencing success on the court with the team’s strong early-season performance.
Community members and university officials continue to process the loss as the investigation unfolds. The incident serves as a reminder of how gun violence can suddenly impact young lives and devastate entire campus communities. For now, students, teammates, and faculty at Monroe University are focused on supporting one another while remembering McLeod and the promise she showed both on the basketball court and in her academic pursuits.