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A 7-month-old baby girl was killed by a stray bullet Wednesday afternoon when a gunman on a moped opened fire on a Brooklyn street, police said.
According to the New York City Police Department, two individuals on a moped approached the intersection of Moore Street and Humboldt Street in Brooklyn when the individual in the back fired a weapon multiple times, with a stray bullet striking a young girl on the sidewalk.
The NYPD has identified the 7-month-old girl as Kaori Patterson-Moore of Brooklyn. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The individuals fled the scene on the moped. The NYPD said one person of interest is in custody, while a manhunt is underway for the second suspect as police ask for the public’s help identifying those involved.
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The shooting was believed to be gang-related, and the child was an unintended victim, according to police.
“There are no words that can mend the heartbreak this family is feeling right now,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during a news conference. “A life that had barely begun was taken in an instant.”
The shooting took place around 1:20 p.m. on a street corner where several adults and children were gathered. Police said there were no other injuries connected to the shooting.
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Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the moped sped off after the shooting but crashed into an oncoming car two blocks away. Both riders fell off the vehicle, and the impact caused the passenger to lose both his shoes, she added.
One of the men on the moped was injured and taken to the hospital and is in police custody in connection with an unrelated investigation, police said. Investigators believe the man fits the description of the alleged shooter based on his clothing and appearance.
The other man fled and has not been located by police as of Wednesday evening.
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No gun has been recovered from the scene, but two shell casings were found, police said.
“This is a terrible day in our city, a tragedy that truly shocks the conscious,” Tisch said at the news conference. “As a mother, I cannot imagine the pain that this family is feeling or the grief that they now carry with them. It is unspeakable.”
Investigators reviewed neighborhood security cameras and tracked the moped’s movement following the shooting, Tisch said.
Mamdani said Wednesday’s homicide is a reminder that more work needs to be done to reduce gun violence.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips online or on X @NYPDTips.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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