A Community Mourns
A 27‑year‑old former Fairleigh Dickinson University basketball standout was gunned down last week during a community tournament in Harlem, sending shockwaves through the neighborhood that had come to love him.
His mother, Eden Rochford, arrived at the scene clutching a photograph of her son, pleading with anyone who might have seen the altercation to come forward, her voice trembling with both grief and a desperate hope for justice.
Rochford had spent recent years working as an intake counselor for homeless families in Brooklyn, a role through which he connected dozens of vulnerable New Yorkers with shelter and services, while also volunteering with the nonprofit Win, where he mentored children on the court.
The NYPD has announced a $3,500 reward for information leading to an arrest, urging witnesses to step forward as investigators piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting.
Friends recall his evenings spent teaching neighborhood kids how to dribble and shoot, a routine that kept many youngsters off the streets, and they note that his professional stint in Europe had only deepened his commitment to giving back to the community that raised him.
The loss is compounded by the fact that he leaves behind two younger triplet brothers, Kye and Kairo, who now face a future without their older sibling’s guidance, while his mother clings to the memory of a son who was both a mentor and a protector.