{"id":200636,"date":"2026-04-17T12:31:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T12:31:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/200636\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T12:31:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T12:31:34","slug":"queens-teen-shot-dead-at-park-after-basketball-court-argument-cops-on-desperate-search-to-find-killer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/200636\/","title":{"rendered":"Queens teen shot dead at park after basketball court argument; cops on desperate search to find killer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Police in Queens<\/a> are on the hunt for the gunman who fatally shot a 15-year-old in a park on Thursday night in a killing that rocked the community.<\/p>\n

According to police sources, the deadly shots rang out around 6:15 p.m. on April 16 inside Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans, near the corner of Merrick and Baisley Boulevards. <\/p>\n

Officers from the 113th Precinct<\/a> found Jaden Pierre, 15, of 103rd Avenue in South Richmond Hill, lying not far from the basketball courts of the Nautilus Playground after being shot in the chest.<\/p>\n

It was still daylight, and park-goers, including other children, were enjoying the warm weather at the time when the deadly shot rang out, sources said.<\/p>\n

Based on a preliminary investigation, police sources said the shooting occurred following a fight inside the basketball court involving several other teens, during which the victim was beaten by multiple people in the group before one person brandished a gun and fired.<\/p>\n

EMS rushed Pierre to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition; he would ultimately succumb to his injuries and was pronounced dead.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\"\"Police say they are still hunting for the gunman who fatally shot a 15-year-old in a Queens park on Thursday evening as the boy is identified.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell \"\"\u201cSomebody is bringing guns into our community and putting them in the hands of our children,\u201d said Erica Ford of Life Camp, a violence prevention organization. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell<\/p>\n

The shooting sparked outrage among those seeking to keep the peace.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody is bringing guns into our community and putting them in the hands of our children,\u201d said Erica Ford of Life Camp, a violence prevention organization.<\/p>\n

The NYPD called the incident a \u201chorrific act of violence\u201d in a social media post late on April 16.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cNYPD detectives are working to find those responsible for this senseless shooting,\u201d police added in the post.\n<\/p>\n

Officials are asking anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. Police described the suspected shooter as wearing all grey clothing with white sneakers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the case of Pierre, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.\n<\/p>\n

Anyone with information regarding this homicide can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at\u00a0crimestoppers.nypdonline.org,<\/a>\u00a0or on X (formerly Twitter)\u00a0@NYPDTips<\/a>. All calls and messages are kept confidential.<\/p>\n

This comes days after the burial of 7-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore<\/a>, who was killed in a stray-bullet shooting in a gang-related beef on April 1.<\/p>\n

\"\"Police say they are still hunting for the gunman who fatally shot a 15-year-old in a Queens park on Thursday evening as the boy is identified.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
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