Brooklyn’s biggest stories this week: a 7-month-old baby girl is shot and killed in Bushwick; Mayor Mamdani launches a citywide child care search tool and announces free child care for city workers; a Gowanus parking lot becomes 1,000 new homes; RHONY star Sai De Silva’s husband files for divorce. Read on for the latest.
Headlines
7-Month-Old Baby Killed in Bushwick Shooting
Kaori Patterson-Moore, a 7-month-old girl, was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in Bushwick when a gunman on a moped opened fire at a street corner on Humboldt and Moore Streets. Kaori was in a stroller with her mother; her father rushed her to Woodhull Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The shooting is believed to be gang-related — Kaori an unintended victim. Police are searching for two men on a moped. Mayor Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch responded to the scene. “A life that had barely begun was taken in an instant,” Mamdani said.
Sheepshead Bay High School Football Player Killed by Teammate
Ka’mardre Coleman, 16, a football and basketball player at Sheepshead Bay High School, was shot and killed last week — accidentally, authorities say — by a 16-year-old teammate. The shooting resulted from a group of four teens passing around a gun. The suspect has been charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon and will be tried as an adult. A vigil was held Friday at the school. “He was a good kid. He played sports and went to school,” Coleman’s father said.
Anti-Muslim Hate Crime at Brooklyn Heights Mosque
Police released surveillance images this week of a man who allegedly tore pages from the Quran and left them on the steps of the Islamic Mission of America on State Street in Brooklyn Heights — then returned and smeared feces on the door. The incident took place March 9; investigators are treating it as a hate crime. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Boerum Hill’s Famous Mom Files for Divorce
Sai De Silva, the Real Housewives of New York City star who lives in a Boerum Hill townhouse frequently featured on the show and across her lifestyle content, is going through a divorce after her husband filed to end the marriage.
Schools
City Launches Child Care Search Tool for Families
New York City families now have a one-stop directory for all child care options in the five boroughs. The NYC Child Care Hub, launched this week by Mayor Mamdani, covers more than 10,000 private, community, and city-run programs. Families can search by location, age group, and cost, and access health and safety inspection records and contact information for each center.
Free Child Care Coming for City Workers
Mayor Mamdani also announced that NYC’s first free, on-site child care pilot for city workers will open applications on April 30. The center, at the Dinkins Municipal Building in Lower Manhattan, will serve children ages 6 weeks to 3 years for all employees based there — part of Mamdani’s broader push toward universal child care. Earlier this year, free 2-K seats for 2-year-olds launched in Canarsie, Brownsville, and Ocean Hill in Brooklyn, with citywide expansion planned.
Real Estate & Development
Gowanus Parking Lot to Become 1,000 New Homes
A former Verizon parking lot alongside the Gowanus Canal at 175 Third Street is set to become one of Brooklyn’s largest new residential developments. Developers Tavros Capital and Charney Companies purchased the three-acre site for $160 million and plan to build 1,000 apartments across 1 million square feet — more than twice the scale of the previous project planned for the site. A bold waterfront design by Bjarke Ingels Group has been scrapped; the new development will break ground in mid-2026. It will be the developers’ fourth project in Gowanus, bringing their total in the neighborhood to 2,200 units.
New Affordable Housing Initiative in Brooklyn
Mayor Mamdani announced a new program to accelerate affordable housing development on city-owned land in Brooklyn, part of his broader push to address the city’s affordability crisis ahead of the new fiscal year.
Events & Entertainment
Passover & Easter Week
Passover: April 1–9 | Easter Sunday: April 5
Passover began at sundown Wednesday, April 1 and runs through April 9. Easter Sunday is April 5. Brooklyn’s Chabad network hosts community seders across Crown Heights, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Park Slope, and beyond — find one near you at chabad.org/passover. For Easter egg hunts and family events across the borough, see our Easter events roundup.
NYC DOE Spring Recess
Thursday, April 2 – Friday, April 10 | Schools closed
Spring break is here. Brooklyn Children’s Museum runs its “Earth Rocks!” spring festival ($15; free Community Access Thursdays 2–5pm). Brooklyn Museum is free for ages 19 and under. Pier 2 Roller Rink has themed spring break events including a skate with the Easter Bunny. Luna Park is open daily April 2–12. See our spring break guide for more.
Cherry Blossom Season Is Here
Cherry blossom season is underway at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The early-blooming Okame cherries are already open; peak bloom on the Cherry Esplanade typically arrives mid-April. Use the Garden’s CherryWatch tracker for real-time updates. Timed tickets required; free for children under 12. Note: the Eastern Parkway entrance remains closed — enter at 990 Washington Avenue or 455 Flatbush Avenue.
City Hall
DUMBO Racing the Clock on World Cup Watch Parties
With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in June — Brazil vs. Morocco at MetLife Stadium is the first New York-area match — the DUMBO Improvement District is planning watch parties under the Manhattan Bridge, as it has since 2010. But with permits filed months ago and no approval yet, BID president Alexandria Sica says she has “no assurance it’s going to happen” — despite deposits already down on screens and staff. The Mamdani administration says it is working to approve events where public safety resources allow.
Brooklyn Bridge Gets a New Bike and Pedestrian Path
Mamdani announced a redesigned bike and pedestrian connection to the Brooklyn Bridge, timed to the World Cup this summer. The project targets the bottleneck at one of the city’s busiest crossing points for cyclists and walkers.
$108 Million for City Sewers
The Mamdani administration announced a $108 million investment to improve sewer performance citywide — targeting neighborhoods prone to flooding during heavy rain, a growing concern as storms intensify.
Sports
Brooklyn Cyclones Home Opener
Friday, April 3 | 6:40pm | Maimonides Park, Coney Island | Fireworks to follow
The Brooklyn Cyclones kick off their 2026 season Friday night at Maimonides Park. It’s the team’s 25th anniversary season — a great reason to make a Coney Island evening of it.
On the Court
The Nets snapped their nine-game losing streak Sunday, beating Sacramento 116–99 at Barclays. The streak ticked back up one on Tuesday when Charlotte beat Brooklyn 117–86. The Nets (18–55) close out the regular season Friday vs. Atlanta and Sunday vs. Washington at Barclays. With the league’s worst record, Brooklyn holds the best odds for the top pick in the NBA Draft.
On the Pitch
A tough doubleheader at Maimonides Park on Saturday. The Brooklyn FC women fell 1–0 to Lexington SC, the goal coming just 8 minutes in. The men then lost 1–0 to Louisville City FC on an own goal in the 60th minute. The men are now 1–0–4 and ninth in the Eastern Conference. Louisville, with the win, became the first club in USL Championship history to reach 200 regular-season victories. Up next for the men: Charleston Battery at Maimonides Park on April 11.
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