A 35-year-old former college basketball standout was fatally shot in a targeted attack during an outdoor tournament in Harlem, New York, on Friday night. Kinu Rochford, who played professionally in Europe, was identified by the New York Police Department as the victim.
The shooting occurred around 10:23 p.m. near Central Park during the Kingdome Basketball Tournament. Police stated the incident stemmed from an argument Rochford had with another individual at the event. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
Two bystanders were also injured in the gunfire: a 28-year-old man was shot in the shin, and a 22-year-old woman sustained a wound to the forearm. Both were taken to a local hospital and are in stable condition.
Rochford, a Brooklyn native, played collegiately at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. His alma mater confirmed his death, remembering him as a "standout Knight and leader." After college, Rochford played professionally for seven years across various European countries, including the Netherlands, Israel, France, England, Lithuania, Iceland, Portugal, and Kosovo.
Footage shared on social media platform X showed the aftermath of the shooting, with emergency responders attending to a victim amidst a crowd of onlookers. Witnesses described hearing sounds similar to fireworks followed by panic as people began to run.