New York City detectives are intensifying their search for a gunman who executed a 15-year-old boy at point-blank range in front of a crowd at a Queens playground last week.
Jaden Pierre died Thursday evening following a violent escalation during a dispute at the Roy Wilkins Park basketball courts. According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the shooting occurred at approximately 6:15 p.m. in the St. Albans neighborhood.
Pierre sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest. Emergency responders rushed the teenager to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead.
Surveillance footage and mobile phone video circulated on social media—including clips shared by former Mayor Eric Adams—reveal a chaotic scene. The images depict a group of teenagers surrounding Pierre before an individual pulls a weapon and fires at close range.
The NYPD has released high-resolution images of a person of interest. The suspect is described as a young male with short dreadlocks, last seen wearing a light gray printed tracksuit and carrying a black backpack.
As of Sunday morning, April 19, the shooter remains at large. No arrests have been made, and authorities have yet to confirm a specific motive for the altercation.
Witnesses at the park, a popular hub for local youth athletics, described Pierre as a “cool kid” and a talented basketball player. The brazen nature of the violence, occurring during daylight hours in a public space, has rattled the community.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement condemning the killing.
“My heart is heavy tonight after we lost a 15-year-old to a senseless act of gun violence,” James said. She emphasized that her office remains committed to legislative and investigative efforts to mitigate the flow of illegal firearms in the city.
The NYPD’s Detective Bureau is leading the investigation. Officials are urging anyone who was at Roy Wilkins Park on Thursday evening or who recognizes the individual in the released photos to come forward.
