Manhunt for 2nd Brooklyn baby death suspect intensifies as NYC reels from shooting

Her name was Kaori. She would have turned 1 later this year.

In a tragedy that “truly shocks the conscience,” according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish, the 7-month-old was killed by an apparent stray bullet when shots rang out Wednesday in Brooklyn.

It was a beautiful afternoon, streets abounding with strollers and pedestrians, when gunfire erupted near the corner of Moore and Humboldt streets in Bushwick around 1 p.m., officials have said.

Kaori Patterson-Moore was in her stroller when it happened. Her parents raced her into a nearby bodega for cover. Then her mother realized she was bleeding. She and the father raced their baby girl to a hospital, where the child died just before 2 p.m., about an hour after sources say an apparent stray bullet hit her in the head.

Not long after the shooting, the NYPD released surveillance of two suspects on a moped. Video appears to show the man on the back of that moped take out a gun and fire at least two shots in the direction of people. Kaori was the only one hit. No other injuries were reported.

Video captured minutes before the shooting shows the two men on the moped drive from Bushwick Houses. Just after the shots are fired, the men are seen driving against traffic up Humboldt Street on the moped.

Surveillance video shows the moped crashing into an oncoming car at Manhattan Avenue and Seigel Street, throwing both men from the scooter, according to the investigation. The man who had been riding in the rear landed so hard on the pavement that he lost both his shoes. He was taken into custody at the scene.

He is believed to be the man on the back of the scooter, the one who fired the gun, officials have said. He was being held late Wednesday in a domestic violence-related robbery case.

A manhunt, meanwhile, is underway for the man seen driving that scooter. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

A day ago, top city and community officials grew emotional as they condemned the deadly shooting.

“This is a terrible day in our city. A tragedy that truly shocks the conscience. As a mother, I cannot image the pain that this family is feeling or the grief that they now carry with them. It is unspeakable,” said Tisch.

The shooting was believed to be gang-motivated, according to police, with the victim an unintended target. Police did not have any information regarding who may have been the possible intended target. At least two shell casings were recovered at the scene. The scooter was later recovered; no weapon has been found.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the shooting is evidence that more work needs to be done to prevent gun violence in New York City.

“There are no words that can mend the heartbreak that the family is feeling now,” Mamdani said Wednesday. “My thoughts today are with the family that has suffered an unspeakable loss and appreciation for the swift and continued work of NYPD officers who not only responded to this, but have also ensured that there is an investigation that is ongoing to find every single person responsible for this.”

The child’s death comes amid a sustained period of dropping crime in New York City. Through Sunday, the NYPD had recorded 52 killings so far in 2026, down 29% from the same period last year. The city is on track to finish the first quarter with killings and shootings near their lowest in decades.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.