Kinu Rochford, who played in Europe for many years, was murdered

During the Kingdome tournament held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Towers court on Lenox Avenue in New York, a terrible tragedy unfolded: a shooting occurred, and former Plymouth Raiders champion Kinu Rochford lost his life.

“Every time he stepped onto the court, the welcome he received from our fans was perhaps greater than that of any other player. It’s a tragedy that someone so close to us had to go through this. He really left his mark,” said Ross Mackenzie, president of the Raiders, to the New York Post.

“He’d walk around in his overalls, high-fiving everyone… he was a two-meter giant, an extraordinary character. He didn’t deserve what happened to him, and it’s heartbreaking for all of us here. I’m devastated; I knew him very well personally—we stayed in regular contact and had a close bond. He lit up the room; he was fantastic,” concluded the Raiders’ president.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also expressed his condolences: “My heart goes out to Kinu Rochford’s family. This senseless violence must end. New Yorkers deserve to live their lives watching and playing sports, participating in important community events, and enjoying public spaces where families and children can gather without the risk of becoming victims of gun violence.”

Rochford came up through the ranks at Aris Leeuwarden, then moved to Israel to play for Elitzur Yavne, and in 2015 he transferred to Le Portel in France. He subsequently played in England, Switzerland, Lithuania, Iceland, Norway, and Portugal before ending his professional career in Kosovo.