A tragic shooting erupted near West 112th Street in Harlem early Saturday morning, leaving professional basketball player Kinu Rochford dead and two other participants wounded. Emergency responders pronounced Rochford dead at a nearby hospital, while the injured were reported to be in stable condition.
Rochford, 35, had built a notable overseas career after going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft, competing in leagues across Europe and the Atlantic. His journey took him from the Netherlands and Israel to France, England, Switzerland, Lithuania, Iceland, Portugal and Kosovo, culminating in a Lithuanian National Basketball League championship in 2017 and a top‑rebounding title in Iceland’s premier division during the 2018‑19 season.
The deadly confrontation occurred during a community basketball tournament hosted on the grounds of NYCHA’s King Towers, a public housing complex that regularly serves as a venue for local sports events. Witnesses said the altercation began on the street before escalating into gunfire that shocked neighbors and participants alike.
Remembering a Global Player
Friends and teammates remembered Rochford not only for his athletic achievements but also for his resilience and sportsmanship. He had grown up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and maintained strong ties to the borough despite his global travels, often speaking of giving back to the neighborhoods that shaped him.
The incident has prompted renewed calls for increased safety measures at street‑level sporting events across New York City, with officials promising a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the violence.