Family Mourns Kaori Patterson-Moore, 7-Month-Old Killed in Brooklyn Shooting

Family members and community leaders gathered in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on April 5, 2026, for a vigil to honor 7-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore, who was killed in a shooting earlier that week.

The infant was fatally shot while sitting in a stroller during a daytime shooting. Police have stated that Patterson-Moore was not the intended target and described the incident as a gang-related shooting.

Kaori Patterson-Moore died at a hospital approximately one hour after being shot in the head, according to sources cited by NBC New York.

Community and Family Mourn

The vigil, organized by NYC clergy, the Brooklyn Collective Clergy Council, and the United Clergy Council, served as a time for prayer, reflection, and support for the grieving family and the Williamsburg and Bushwick communities.

During the gathering, the baby’s father, Jamari Patterson, read a letter to the crowd reflecting on the bond he shared with his daughter, stating that he knew she was special from the first time he saw her and had wanted to spend his entire life as her father.

The child’s grandmother, Christina Poitier, described the infant as having a beautiful spirit and being always smiling and always happy.

We are hurt. We have anger. Our family is broken. I am broken.

Arlene Poitier, great-grandmother of Kaori Patterson-Moore

Arlene Poitier also questioned how such an event could happen to an innocent child, noting that her grandson had asked what the baby could have done to justify such an attack.

Investigation and Arrests

Authorities have taken two suspects into custody in connection with the shooting. Amuri Greene, 21, was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder after being injured in a crash while fleeing the scene on Wednesday, April 2, 2026.

On Friday, April 4, 2026, police announced the arrest of 18-year-old Matthew Rodriguez in Pennsylvania. Investigators believe Rodriguez was the individual seen on surveillance video driving the moped that Greene was riding when at least two shots were fired.

The gunfire struck Patterson-Moore and grazed her two-year-old brother.

Calls for Violence Prevention

Public officials and religious leaders joined the family at the site of the tragedy near Humboldt and Moore streets to call for an end to gun violence.

New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that gun violence is unacceptable and emphasized the need for the community to stand together to overcome it.

Bishop Gerald Seabrook, head of the United Clergy Coalition, remarked that the infant was a child in a world that should have provided her with protection.

One of the baby’s grandmothers urged city and state officials to increase resources for young people, advocating for the implementation of positive community influences, mentors, and organized activities to steer youth away from violence.