Mamdani Sparks Backlash With Response To 7-Month-Old Baby Shot In NYC

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked a wave of backlash when he responded to the shooting death of seven-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore, blaming her death on gun violence rather than the criminal who opened fire in his city in broad daylight.

“Earlier today a seven-month-old baby was shot and killed,” he said. “A life that had barely begun was taken in an instant.”

WATCH:

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the fatal shooting of a baby in Brooklyn by a stray bullet a “devastating reminder” of the work that remains to be done to combat gun violence. https://t.co/fCUKHY42Hj pic.twitter.com/S6aePIpg6K

— ABC News (@ABC) April 2, 2026

“This is not our first family to know this pain,” Mamdani said. “Too many children have never grown up into becoming adults. Too many parents have had to bury those they love most. We cannot accept this as normal in our city. We cannot grow numb to this pain, and today is a devastating reminder of just how much more work there is to be done to combat gun violence across the city.”

New York City Councilwoman Vicki Paladino criticized Mamdani for laying the blame on guns rather than the criminals who fired them, saying in an X post, “Literally anything but blaming the criminals who our system releases onto our streets repeatedly, over and over again, with no consequences. Absolute disgrace.”

Media Research Center Managing Editor Brittany Hughes pointed out the hypocrisy of Mamdani’s position, noting that he’d said nothing when an 83-year-old military veteran had been pushed onto the subway tracks. He later died from his injuries and an illegal alien was charged in his death.

“An 83-year old veteran was killed in New York City last month after being randomly pushed onto the subway tracks by an illegal alien. Mamdani didn’t say a word because trains aren’t a good political prop, and he won’t condemn criminal aliens,” she said.