Cafes and delis line 95th Street, a block south of a more commercial area near the F.D.R. Drive, which runs along the East Side of Manhattan.
Ms. Monegro, 28, said she had moved to the neighborhood a year ago and was not shocked by the shooting. “It’s the Upper East Side, but it’s New York City, so there’s always crime,” she said.
Other residents, some out for a last walk with their dogs, were visibly stunned to learn of the shooting.
“This is a great neighborhood,” said Rahul Rathod, who moved into the area nine months ago. He said it was quiet after dark because of the large of number of older residents and that children often played basketball on the Seabury courts well into the evening.
A bit farther up the avenue, Brice Peyre, 58, was smoking a cigarette while watching the commotion unfold. He said he had lived in the same building on 96th Street since 1991.
“This really is literally striking home,” Mr. Peyre said. “It’s right within the zone.”
Police statistics show that the neighborhood, a largely affluent area in the 19th Precinct, is generally safe. There was one killing in the precinct last year and the one on Wednesday was the first there this year.
But Mr. Peyre said the city had a creeping feeling of danger these days.
“This is not helping at all,” Mr. Peyre said.
Ali Watkins, Emma G. Fitzsimmons, Chelsia Rose Marcius, Sean Piccoli, Matthew Sedacca and Téa Kvetenadze contributed reporting.