2 men fatally shot, woman critically wounded in 19th Ward

Show Caption Hide Caption 2 killed, 3rd critical after shooting on Thurston Two men were shot and killed outside 670 Thurston Road early June 20, 2018. A woman was critically injured.

Two men were fatally shot and a woman was critically wounded in the city's first double homicide of the year.

Rochester police officers were called to the shooting scene outside 670 Thurston Road shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday after it was reported that shots were fired in the area, Rochester Police Lt. Aaron Colletti said.

Officers found the men dead in a car, and the woman with a single gunshot wound to her upper body.

The woman suffered serious injuries and was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital by American Medical Response, where she was listed in critical condition, Colletti said.

Thirteen shots were fired, Colletti said.

Officers have not released the names of the three shooting victims, pending notification of family. Rochester Police Chief Michael Ciminelli declined to say whether the three shooting victims knew one another.

"Due to safety concerns for the third victim, we will not be releasing her name at this time," Rochester Police Investigator Jackie Shuman said in an email.

The scene was in the parking lot outside a Rite Aid store at the corner of Brooks Avenue and Thurston Road. Colletti said patrons from Classics Bar & Grill, 685 Thurston Road, often use the Rite Aid parking lot after hours.

When asked if something happened in the bar that led to the shooting, Colletti said, "That's still part of the investigation. That's all we have for right now."

RPD mobile command unit just arrived on scene. And it seems that some family members of the victims just arrived also. #roc @DandC pic.twitter.com/4fyquPFIPg — Will Cleveland (@WillCleveland13) June 20, 2018

Police didn't reveal if the woman was inside the car with the two male victims. Officers didn't reveal where the woman was located.

Officers shut down a large portion of the neighborhood, about seven blocks, to traffic and pedestrians.

The intersection of Brooks Avenue and Thurston Road reopened around 11 a.m., according to Shuman.

Ciminelli said investigators are combing the scene for evidence and are interviewing multiple witnesses and "persons of interest."

"We will be looking at everything," he said. "We will leave no stone unturned."

After a tragic and violent night in Rochester, Mayor Lovely Warren has a message for the community: Think twice. #roc @DandC pic.twitter.com/RBsJmdXD2O — Will Cleveland (@WillCleveland13) June 20, 2018

"It's a very unfortunate incident," Ciminelli said. "I certainly understand the concern of people that live in this area. When anything like this happens, we want to ensure them that we're on it now. We will be in this neighborhood, and we will do everything we can to hopefully identify the people that did this and bring them to justice."

At a press conference later Wednesday, Ciminelli again declined to give any updates on the shooting.

No suspects are in custody. The investigation is ongoing.

"We are awaiting the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office to officially confirm the identity of the victims," Shuman said.

The double slaying brings the city's 2018 homicide total to 11. The shooting deaths are also Rochester's fifth and sixth homicides since the start of June.

.@RochesterNYPD Chief Michael Ciminelli on gaining community trust and what his department is doing to combat gun violence. #roc @DandC pic.twitter.com/wA8pYogb7h — Will Cleveland (@WillCleveland13) June 20, 2018

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said we owe it to the children in this community to be better examples and make smarter decisions. She highlighted the resources available in the city — from Pathways to Peace to the Rochester Police Department — to defuse potentially violent situations.

“We have to, for our children’s sake, think twice about our actions and what we’re doing,” Warren said. “School is ending tomorrow. Our children deserve to live in a safe and vibrant community. We cannot legislate morality. We cannot stop people from committing violent acts. However, I am asking you to think twice before you make those types of decisions.”

She said that a number of children who have worked with these programs have lost their lives. Warren reiterated that she alone cannot bring change to the city. "It takes every community member stepping up to the plate, everybody being a part of the solution," she said.

Warren said that if police and the community can "get in front of it, nine times out of 10, we can stop it from happening."

City Councilman Willie Lightfoot called this a "systemic, long-term, deep-rooted problem in our community."

"Gun violence effects everyone in our community," Lightfoot said. "The pain and the trauma of gun violence cannot be tolerated. We really have to work together as a community to continue to raise the awareness, especially to our young people and get to them early to curb that type of attitude."

Lightfoot said City Council and the Rochester Police Department are working on solutions, including an awareness campaign.

On July 1, Warren and Ciminelli said the Rochester Police Department is implementing a new Bureau of Community Policing that will be overseen by Deputy Chief La'Ron Singletary.

WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com

VFREILE@Gannett.com

Massive RPD presence at Thurston and Brooks for the report of a woman shot. #roc @DandC pic.twitter.com/pbtYt9nBLR — Will Cleveland (@WillCleveland13) June 20, 2018

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