​NEW YORK — Professional European basketball player Kinu Rochford was killed and two others wounded when gunfire erupted during a Harlem basketball tournament, police said Saturday. The 35-year-old athlete, whose passion for the game had carried him from a Midwood, Brooklyn court to professional arenas in Norway, Britain and Iceland, was opening the “Kingdome” tournament at NYCHA’s King Towers on Lenox Avenue near West 112th Street around 10:20 p.m. Friday when the shooting occurred.
A police source familiar with the case said the gunman shot Rochford in the head as two people argued on the sidelines. Joann Fitzgerald, 67, recounted what a close friend who witnessed the carnage described—an event she said clearly appeared intentional. “He just walked up on the court and shot him,” she said. “Kinu didn’t deserve it. He’s such a good player.”
The gunfire left a second man, 28, hit in the shin, and a 22-year-old woman wounded in her right forearm as spectators at the crowded court scattered for cover. “Once the shots were heard, people were running,” Fitzgerald recalled. “They were trampling on top of each other.”
NYPD detectives believe Rochford was the intended target of the gunman. The other two victims were innocent bystanders. Police indicated that Rochford and his shooter may have been arguing over a woman they both knew. Video later released online showed officers performing CPR on Rochford as he lay on his back on the court, wearing a white T-shirt and pink shorts.
Emergency Medical Services transported Rochford to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, but he did not survive. The other wounded individuals were taken to Harlem Hospital and were expected to recover. Rochford resided in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, about 15 miles from the site of the shooting, according to police.
Rochford’s team, “The Young Onez,” participates in the tournament annually. The group opened the competition on Friday night, and Fitzgerald recalled that Rochford’s team had won the previous year, praising their cohesion and skill. “The team sticks together and they play really good,” she said. Fitzgerald added that Rochford “loved basketball” and “loved to play.”
His background includes time at James Madison High School and stints with Globe Tech and Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey before beginning his professional career in 2013 with Aris Leeuwarden in the Dutch Basketball League. He also played in the British Basketball League and for teams in Iceland and Portugal, culminating his pro career with the Golden Eagle Ylli in the Kosovo Basketball Superleague in 2021.
FDU issued a statement saying, “FDU is devastated to hear of the tragic passing of former men’s basketball player Kinu Rochford. A standout Knight and leader, Rochford built a legacy in Hackensack.” The university noted that Rochford lost his life to senseless violence while playing the game he loved.