Rochester officials said Monday they are weighing imposing a curfew after two linked shootings early Sunday in the city’s East End left seven people shot and one person stabbed in a series of incidents that stretched across downtown streets.
What happened
Police say they first heard gunfire around 12:30 a.m. Sunday coming from a parking lot at 275 East Ave. Additional shots were reported moments later on East Broad Street. Officers responding to those scenes located victims and large groups of people moving between East Avenue, Alexander, Union and East Broad streets.
At a location near 475 East Broad St., officers found three shooting victims and one person who had been stabbed. Authorities said the victims ranged in age from 12 to 18 years old. The Rochester Police Department described the two shootings as linked.
Arrests and weapons recovered
During the immediate response, officers stopped two vehicles — one on East Avenue and another on East Broad Street — with aerial support from a drone helping in the East Avenue stop. At the East Avenue traffic stop, officers recovered two loaded handguns from a Toyota. Two men were arrested and face charges of criminal possession of a weapon:
- Larry Dillon, 29
- Jadell Williams, 28
Police said they also located a firearm in the trunk of one of the vehicles and another on Williams’ waistband. A third person is now facing weapon charges, Chief David Smith said.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Time of first gunfire reported | ~12:30 a.m., Sunday |
| Locations involved | 275 East Ave., East Broad St., 475 East Broad St. |
| Victims | 7 shot, 1 stabbed; ages 12–18 |
| Arrestees | Larry Dillon, 29; Jadell Williams, 28; plus a third person charged |
Officials’ response and next steps
Mayor Malik Evans told reporters Monday he is exploring plans to set a curfew for the city in the wake of the weekend violence. The mayor’s announcement follows a police pledge to conduct a full after-action review to determine how to prevent similar incidents and respond more effectively.
“As I’ve said many times before, on any given day no matter how good we do, we can always do better,”
— Rochester Police Chief David Smith, speaking about the department’s response.
Chief Smith also praised officers’ actions during the immediate response, saying they performed heroically while assisting people and clearing large groups before the shootings. Police confirmed that one of the stopped vehicles — a black car — was towed from the scene early Sunday morning.
City residents and business owners in the East End, home to nightlife and restaurants, are likely to watch any curfew discussion closely. A curfew could affect evening operations and the planning of community events; officials said they will balance public-safety needs with residents’ and merchants’ concerns as they consider potential restrictions.
Investigations into the shootings are ongoing. Authorities have not released additional details about motive or whether more charges are expected as detectives continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses.
