Three men were shot, two fatally, at an East Harlem memorial for another man killed the day before.

Police were called to a shooting near East 112th Street and 1st Avenue about 8pm on Saturday night.

"Upon arrival, officers discovered three males at the location with multiple gunshot wounds to various parts of the body," the NYPD said in a statement. "There are no arrests at this time."

Police confirmed to The Independent that two of the victims, Stefan Ross, 41, and Frederick Cross, 40, died while a 38-year-old man remained in a critical condition at NYC Health & Hospitals/Metropolitan.

The three men were shot on the sidewalk as they set up candles for a memorial to a friend shot and killed a day earlier, according to reporting by the New York Daily News.

According to eye witness statements, they were preparing to honour Darnell Brown, 23, who was shot dead on Friday.

Mr Brown was known to be friends with two of the victims shot on Saturday, who were known as Pookie and Spazzo. The other victim, known as Mumbles, reportedly dropped candles as witnesses heard gunshots and saw bodies strewn across the sidewalk.

Police said Mr Brown was killed by a "romantic rival" while visiting his girlfriend at the River Crossing apartment on First Ave. and E. 101st St. The woman's ex-boyfriend, Sterling Steward, 30, is alleged to have shot Mr Brown around 8pm on Friday, April 10.

Neighbours told reporters that Mr Cross, or Mumbles, was a peaceful man who collected sneakers and spread positivity, with no interest in causing trouble.