Updated April 1, 2026 — A 7-month-old baby was killed Wednesday in what police say was an apparent stray-bullet shooting in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. One person of interest is in custody and investigators are searching for at least one other suspect.
Police say security video shows two people riding a moped out of 24 Humboldt St., at the Bushwick Houses, minutes before the shooting near the intersection of Moore Street around 1:15 p.m. According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, as the moped approached the corner the passenger in the rear pulled out a gun and fired at least two rounds toward the southwest corner, where adults, children and two strollers were present.
The child, identified by authorities as 7-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore, was in a stroller and suffered a gunshot wound to the head, Tisch said. The mother ran into a nearby bodega after the shots rang out and discovered her baby bleeding, according to a deli employee who witnessed the scene. The infant’s father then rushed her to Woodhull Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police sources said.
Witnesses described the chaos after the shots. One said he first thought the sound was fireworks and felt small metal fragments on his leg. He described children ducking for cover and the mother screaming when she realized her baby had been struck. “The baby was lifeless,” he said, and the father ran to the hospital.
The two suspects fled on the moped. Video shows the scooter crashed into an oncoming car about two blocks away on Humboldt Avenue, throwing both riders from the vehicle; one passenger reportedly hit the pavement hard enough that his shoes flew off. A 911 call about that crash came in at approximately 1:25 p.m., Tisch said. One of the men was taken to Brooklyn Hospital and later taken into custody in connection with an unrelated investigation. Investigators say his clothing and appearance match the suspected shooter seen on video, and they are working to determine whether he is linked to the killing.
The other suspect, believed to be the moped driver, was last seen wearing light gray pants, a white T-shirt and a black surgical mask covering his lower face. Tisch said he fled toward the Marcy Houses and that the NYPD has circulated his image to officers citywide as part of an active manhunt. The moped thought to have been used in the incident was found abandoned about five blocks west of the shooting and is being processed by investigators.
Police said they believe the shooting was gang-related.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed deep sorrow for the family and condemned the violence, saying the city must not accept such losses as normal. He urged continued police work to hold those responsible accountable and called for renewed efforts to reduce gun violence across the five boroughs.
City Councilmember Jennifer Gutiérrez, who represents East Williamsburg and nearby neighborhoods, said on social media that her heart is broken and that no parent should have to live through such a nightmare. She added that residents deserve real safety.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website or via direct message to @NYPDTips on Twitter. All calls are kept confidential.
Naveen Dhaliwal and Ali Bauman contributed to this report.