A party on Rochester’s Pennsylvania Avenue ended with 2 dead and 14 others wounded. Police found an 18 and 22 year old man and woman dead from shotgun wounds.
It is being reported by police that more than 100 people attended the backyard gathering located in the city’s Marketview Heights area. The names of the victims will not be released until next of kin have been notified of their loss.
Acting Police Chief Mark Simmons commented, “This is truly a tragedy of epic proportions, if you ask me. I mean 16 victims is unheard of, and for our community, who’s right now going through so much, to have to be dealt with this tragedy, needlessly, for people who decide to act in a violent manner is unfortunate and shameful, and we’re going to do everything that we can as a department to bring those people involved to justice.”
None of the wounds suffered by the 14 other shooting victims are believed to be life threatening, the police chief continued.
As yet no suspects are in custody. Police, thus far, police refuse to speculate on the motive or the weapon(s) used and said there would be no comment on a motive or the weapons used at the shooting.
The shooting did not immediately appear to be connected to the anti-police brutality protests that have rocked the city since disturbing video footage surfaced earlier this month of the fatal arrest of Daniel Prude.
“This is yet another tragedy where individuals are having these illegal and unsanctioned house parties taking place in these properties,” the chief said. He said these are unsafe because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and when “you add in alcohol and violence … it just becomes a recipe for disaster.”
Saturday’s mass shooting occurred in a month when tensions between Rochester police and the city’s Black community have been high because of the release Sept. 2 of police bodycam video showing the suffocation of Chicago resident Daniel Prude while being restrained by city police during a mental-health call last March.
The New York State Police, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Irondequoit Police Department all assisted the Rochester Police Department.
Anybody with information regarding the mass shooting, or has video/photographs from the party is asked to email them to MajorCrimes@cityofrochester.gov and call 911.