Shooting on George Washington Bridge Closes Upper Level

A shooting investigation shut down the westbound upper level of the George Washington Bridge on Tuesday evening, October 20, after Port Authority police found a driver with an apparent gunshot wound to the head following a single-vehicle crash. The injured driver was taken to Englewood Medical Center in New Jersey, while the incident caused substantial traffic delays for motorists traveling between New York and New Jersey.

According to a Port Authority spokesperson, officers responded to reports of the crash at approximately 7:05 p.m. The driver's condition was initially unclear, although CBS News New York reported that the person was in critical condition.

Authorities reported no other injuries. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unknown, and CBS News New York reported that no arrests had been made as of its coverage.

The Port Authority Police Department is leading the investigation. The closure affected all westbound lanes on the bridge's upper level, which carries traffic toward New Jersey.

The shutdown created significant congestion across the surrounding road network. According to Gothamist, the Port Authority reported delays of up to 80 minutes on the upper level as of 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Traffic also backed up across the Bronx toward the Major Deegan Expressway, according to CBS News New York. Traffic moving eastbound toward New York City was also moving slowly, further complicating travel in the area.

The disruption extended to public transportation and pedestrian access. NJ Transit reported delays of up to 30 minutes for buses traveling to and from the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, according to Gothamist.

The Port Authority also closed the bridge's Northwalk, which serves pedestrians and cyclists. The South Walk remained available as an alternative route.

The George Washington Bridge's official account on X announced the continuing closure shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday, advising drivers to seek an alternate route because of police activity.

The bridge's upper level is particularly important for commercial traffic because commercial vehicles can use only that level, CBS News New York reported. The restrictions added to the disruption caused by the police investigation.

Officials had not released further details about the shooting or the injured driver's identity in the reports published Tuesday night and early Wednesday. The westbound upper-level closure remained in effect during the initial response as authorities continued investigating the incident.