Kinu Rochford, 35, died and two other people were wounded when gunfire erupted Friday night at the Kingdom Games.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — Former Fairleigh Dickinson University basketball standout Kinu Rochford was fatally shot and two other people were wounded during an annual basketball tournament in Harlem, police said.
The shooting happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. Friday behind 70 Lenox Ave., at the Martin Luther King Jr. Towers. Rochford, a 35-year-old Brooklyn resident, was shot in the head and taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Morningside, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and published reports.
A 28-year-old man was shot in the shin, and a 22-year-old woman was struck in the right forearm. Both were taken to Harlem Hospital in stable condition. Police had announced no arrests as of Sunday and had not released a description of the person or people responsible. Authorities also had not publicly identified a motive.
Rochford was participating in the Kingdom Games, a community basketball tournament held at the Harlem housing complex. He was not playing at the time the shots were fired, according to NBC New York. The tournament’s organizers called the shooting a “devastating tragedy” and said information about the remainder of the 2026 season would be released when appropriate.
Fairleigh Dickinson remembered Rochford as a standout player and leader who made a lasting impact during his two seasons in Hackensack, New Jersey. The 6-foot-6 forward appeared in 53 games after transferring from the Globe Institute of Technology. As a senior, he averaged about 15 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while recording 10 double-doubles.
Rochford received the university’s George Braun Leadership Award in 2013. The honor recognizes a student-athlete who demonstrates leadership among peers. He graduated that May with a degree in sports administration and was known for supporting athletes from other FDU teams, the university said.
“Those who knew Kinu described him as a fierce competitor with a big heart who made many positive contributions to the FDU community,” FDU Director of Athletics Jason Young said in the university’s tribute. “Today is another reminder to value each other and every day that we have.”
After college, Rochford spent nearly a decade playing professionally overseas. His career included stops in the Netherlands, France, England, Switzerland, Iceland and Lithuania. He helped Sūduva-Mantinga win a Lithuanian National Basketball League championship in 2017. During another stage of his career, he averaged 19.1 points and led an Icelandic league with 12.2 rebounds per game.
Rochford later worked for Win, a New York organization that provides housing and support services to homeless families with children. Win President and CEO Christine Quinn described him as a father, friend and colleague who was committed to helping others. She said he went beyond his duties as a coordinator and worked with children across the city.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was heartbroken for Rochford’s family and called for an end to gun violence in public spaces. The mayor said city agencies were working with community partners to provide services to people affected by the shooting.
The investigation remained active Sunday. Police had not disclosed what led to the gunfire, and the Kingdom Games had not announced whether its remaining tournament schedule would proceed.
Author note: Last updated July 12, 2026.