Queens Woman Fatally Shot Shielding Daughter by Estranged Husband

Chaneil Ramsay, a 45-year-old woman from Queens, was fatally shot by her estranged husband, Audwin Caines, during a broad daylight attack as she attempted to shield her 21-year-old daughter from gunfire. The incident occurred on June 23, when Caines approached Ramsay and her daughter and opened fire, forcing them to take cover behind a parked car; Ramsay then stepped out to protect her daughter and was shot multiple times at point-blank range. Prior to the shooting, Caines had vandalized Ramsay's car by smashing the passenger window with a brick and sent threatening messages to her. Prosecutors also revealed a history of violence, including a separate attack in July 2024 where Caines stabbed Ramsay with a broken bottle after an argument. Caines has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, attempted murder, weapons possession, and criminal mischief, and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz condemned the murder as a senseless act in an escalating pattern of domestic violence.