A peaceful barbecue gathering in Rochester, New York, was abruptly transformed into a scene of chaos and terror on Sunday when several young gunmen opened fire, leaving one person dead and several others injured.
The incident occurred at Maplewood Park, a popular local spot for community gatherings, around 6:20 p.m. The park is located in a city approximately 340 miles northwest of Manhattan.
According to the Daily Mail, the Rochester police responded swiftly to the incident, arriving at the park to find several individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. The victims included a 20-year-old man who tragically lost his life, a woman with life-threatening injuries, and five others who were hospitalized with minor injuries. The identity of the deceased has not yet been disclosed.
Captain Greg Bello of the Rochester Police Department stated, "At this point we don't know how many people were shooting. We are trying to work our way through as many witnesses as we can." A video taken by an attendee of the barbecue shows the crowd enjoying the pleasant weather before the sound of gunfire sent everyone scrambling for cover. A voice can be heard in the background urging someone to "Keep pressure on it."
Rochester Police Chief David Smith, in an interview with WHEC, said that investigators are still trying to determine whether the gunmen were originally part of the group or were outsiders. "Everyone was having a good time. There was no reason to be alarmed or think that anything was going to happen. It was a bunch of people having a picnic in the park," Smith told the station.
The police have confirmed that they are currently seeking multiple gunmen, but no suspects are in custody at this time. Residents living near the park reported their initial confusion, mistaking the sound of gunfire for firecrackers. Carla Owens Martin, a local resident, described her encounter with a young woman fleeing the scene, "I thought it was firecrackers but then when I saw people running I knew it was gunshots. As I was coming towards the front of my house, there was a young lady running towards me gasping for air, asking me to help her, help her, help her."
The incident has left the community in shock, with one resident describing the scene as "pure terror." Another resident, Shelley Strong, recounted the horrifying sight of "kids with guns drawn" on her front porch.
Rochester's Democratic Mayor Malik Evans, who visited the scene, described the incident as a tragedy. He urged the public to come forward with any information, stating, "The biggest tip we need is from the individuals who pulled out the guns and started shooting. That's what we need. I guarantee that with a large number of people here enjoying the summer weather this Sunday, someone here saw something. There are cameras everywhere. We just need a tip; nothing is too small."
In the wake of the shooting, the Black Republican Club of Rochester issued a statement, calling for a focus on the real issues at hand rather than resorting to the usual scapegoats. "Don't blame race, gun control, gender, or Trump for this tragic mass shooting in Rochester, NY. It's time to move past the usual scapegoats and address the real issues head-on. We need genuine solutions to the escalating crime in our city, not just more pandering to the black community with claims that it's all due to Jim Crow and Trump's policies. Let's have an honest conversation about the root causes and how we can effectively tackle them," the statement read in part.
Login