Disturbing footage captured the moment a suspected backpack-wearing thug opened fire on a 15-year-old boy at a Queens park during a heated brawl Thursday night \u2014 with sources saying the deadly shooting erupted as kids gathered for a water balloon fight.<\/p>\n
Harrowing video shows a group of violent teens repeatedly pummeling Queens victim Jaden Pierre at Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans before one of them shoots him point-blank, causing him to fall backward.<\/p>\n
The 24-second clip,\u00a0posted on X by former Mayor Eric Adams<\/a>, shows a rowdy crowd surrounding the fatal clash near Nautilus Playground and cheering it on before the single-shot rang out.<\/p>\n Cops are looking for this backpack-wearing suspect in the deadly Queens shooting of a 15-year-old boy Thursday. NYPD<\/p>\n \u201cA 15-year-old kid was beaten and shot to death at a Southeast Queens playground yesterday,\u201d Adams captioned the shocking post.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd somehow this isn\u2019t the top story. Credit to AG Letitia James & BP Richards for speaking up. Where is everyone else, including\u00a0@NYCMayor<\/a>\u00a0Mamdani? Outrage shouldn\u2019t depend on zip code. Every child deserves protection.\u201d<\/p>\n Mayor Zohran Mamdani has not publicly commented on the shooting, and City Hall did not respond to inquiries.<\/p>\n Sources say the shooting happened when a brawl erupted while kids gathered for a water balloon fight. NYPD<\/p>\n Pierre was shot in the torso just before 6:20 p.m. Thursday and found lying on the park ground after cops responded to a 911 call, police said.<\/p>\n The gravely wounded teen was rushed to a Jamaica Hospital, where he died, cops said.<\/p>\n New surveillance photos,\u00a0released by the NYPD Friday afternoon<\/a>, show the young-looking suspect \u2014 wearing a light colored sweatsuit and black backpack \u2014 glancing at his phone and carrying a soda bottle while strolling on the sidewalk.<\/p>\n A 15-year-old kid was beaten and shot to death at a Southeast Queens playground yesterday. And somehow this isn\u2019t the top story. Credit to AG Letitia James & BP Richards for speaking up. <\/p>\n Where is everyone else, including @NYCMayor<\/a> Mamdani?<\/p>\n Outrage shouldn\u2019t depend on zip code.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/ljsMRg68qm<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) April 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The deadly gunfire erupted when multiple teens gathered in the park for a water balloon fight as temperatures in the Big Apple reached unseasonable highs, according to law enforcement sources.<\/p>\n The apparently innocent gathering descended into chaos when a fight broke out, the sources said.\u00a0It was unclear Friday what the fight was over.<\/p>\n The 15-year-old victim\u00a0appeared to be the intended target of the shooting, and police are investigating whether it was gang-related, according to the sources.<\/p>\n Several people pummeled Pierre before one shot him point-blank, harrowing footage shows. X\/@ericadamsfornyc<\/p>\n A frequent parkgoer named AJ who recognized the young victim said Thursday that \u201cthese badass little kids always wanna come here, fight, and do dumb s\u2014t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCame over here, heard a shot go off, and I came running over here to make sure everyone was OK, especially my friends,\u201d AJ said. \u201cAnd I see a kid lying dead, and I know him from coming over here to play basketball. He\u2019s a good basketball player. Cool kid.\u201d<\/p>\n No arrests had been made by Friday evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 15-year-old boy appeared to be the intended target of the shooting, sources said. Peter Gerber<\/p>\n Police did not immediately know what sparked the dispute that turned deadly. Brigitte Stelzer<\/p>\n The NYPD is asking anyone with information on the suspect\u2019s whereabouts to call the NYPD\u2019s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).<\/p>\n The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at\u00a0https:\/\/crimestoppers.nypdonline.org\/<\/a>, on X @NYPDTips.<\/p>\n All calls are strictly confidential.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t