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Police officials in Rochester, NY announced at a news conference Monday that a second person has been confirmed dead following a mass shooting at a city park in upstate New York on Sunday evening. Investigators were still trying Monday to determine what prompted the violence and who was responsible, with police sharing that multiple weapons were fired.
The deceased victims were identified as Tyasia Manning, a 25-year-old city employee, who died from her injuries on Sunday; and 34-year-old Phylicia Council who succumbed to her injuries a few hours later. In addition to the fatalities, five other people were shot, and taken to nearby hospitals. Those victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Rochester Police Chief David Smith, gunfire erupted around 6:20 p.m. in Maplewood Park, where hundreds of people were gathered for a barbecue. Police said the gathering there had been advertised with flyers, and while they did not specify the occasion, the organizers were not required to obtain a permit from the city in advance. Smith said at some point during the barbecue, “rounds were fired from multiple weapons;” he called on witnesses to come forward with information: “There were hundreds of people at this barbecue, and therefore, there are hundreds of people who have potential information to help us solve this crime. Once again, I am asking our community to step up and help to hold those who shot into a crowd, killing two women, accountable for their cowardly actions.”
Rochester Police Capt. Greg Bello said he did not know what led to the shooting at Maplewood Park or if one or more shooters were involved. He said it appeared to be a peaceful day at the park where families and friends had gathered to picnic when shots ran out. Bello said that authorities are looking for one or possibly more people who left the scene at the time of the shooting: “Everyone was out barbecuing, having a good time, [when someone] decided to pull out a gun for whatever reason. Obviously, that’s incredibly unacceptable in our society.”
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said at a press conference that before the violence, “people were in a celebratory mood, enjoying the warm weather, having a good time. Our people, our residents should be able to enjoy the summer in a park. Period. But all too often we have individuals in this community that are unmitigated cowards, that are OK with shooting women. And two of those women lost their life.”
As of press time, no suspects had been taken into custody. Police ask that anyone with information or video from the scene to call the Major Crimes Unit at 585-428-7157 or email MajorCrimes@CityofRochester.gov.
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