Former college basketball standout and professional player Kinu Rochford was fatally shot Friday night during a tournament in Harlem, according to New York police. He was 35.
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Police said Rochford was struck in the head shortly after 10:30 p.m. while attending the Kingdome Basketball Tournament at the Martin Luther King Jr. Towers on Lenox Avenue. He was transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Two other people, a 28-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, were also struck by gunfire. Both were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to recover.
Authorities have not announced any arrests. Police said the investigation remains ongoing.
According to investigators, Rochford was watching games between tournament contests when the shooting occurred. A police source told multiple outlets the gunfire stemmed from a dispute involving another individual, though authorities have not publicly identified a motive.
Rochford played collegiately at Fairleigh Dickinson University before beginning a professional basketball career overseas. During his career, he competed in Lithuania, France, Kosovo, Israel, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Fairleigh Dickinson mourned Rochford's death in a statement, calling him "a standout Knight and leader" whose legacy would be remembered by the university community.
A vigil was held Sunday in Brooklyn, where hundreds of family members, friends and former teammates gathered to honor Rochford's life. Loved ones described him as a devoted father, brother and friend whose passion for basketball helped inspire those around him.
Officials continue to investigate the shooting and have asked anyone with information to contact police.
