Second Suspect Arrested in Brooklyn Baby Shooting
Matthew Rodriguez, 18, was apprehended in Pennsylvania in connection with the shooting that killed seven-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore on a Brooklyn street. The arrest was made on Friday by NYPD detectives working alongside U.S. marshals, two days after the incident that New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch described as "a tragedy that truly shocks the conscience."
The suspected shooter, 21-year-old Amuri Greene, was arrested shortly after the drive-by shooting. Greene pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges during an arraignment held Friday night.
Details of the Shooting Incident
Kaori Patterson-Moore was in her stroller when two men sped down a street on a moped on Wednesday afternoon. Greene, who was riding on the back of the moped, fired into a group of people gathered on a street corner, according to a court complaint.
Kaori’s mother, Lianna Charles-Moore, recounted the moments following the shooting to the media. She initially thought the noise was fireworks and was comforting her two-year-old son, who had been grazed by a bullet. When she looked to her left, she saw her infant daughter bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head.
"My daughter was innocent. She didn’t deserve that," Charles-Moore said. She added that Kaori was just about to start crawling and had recently begun saying "Mama."
Context of Gun Violence in the U.S.
Gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety has reported that firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. Despite this, Congress has historically been unable or unwilling to enact more substantial gun control measures.
Suspect Statements and Police Investigation
According to the court complaint, Greene told police he was aiming at another individual in the crowd when he fired. After the shooting, the moped sped away but crashed into a car two blocks away, causing both men to be thrown from the vehicle. Greene was injured and subsequently hospitalized before being taken into police custody. The driver of the moped fled the scene.
Authorities have not yet released court documents detailing Matthew Rodriguez’s alleged role in the incident. However, officials have indicated that they were searching only for the gunman, identified as Greene, and the moped driver.
Greene is currently being held without bail following his arraignment. Attempts to reach his attorney for comment resulted in a voice message.
Police have not provided information regarding the connection between Greene and Rodriguez or Rodriguez’s place of residence. No working telephone number for Rodriguez was immediately available. Charges against Rodriguez are pending.
Official Reactions
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch expressed their heartbreak and outrage over Kaori’s death.
"This is a terrible day in our city, a tragedy that truly shocks the conscience," Tisch said during a news briefing on Wednesday.
