Rochester, New York was rocked by an early morning two-car collision that left two people dead on the scene and at least five injured following a New Year’s Eve concert. Authorities are reportedly investigating the incident as a possible act of domestic terrorism after gas canisters were discovered in one of the vehicles. The FBI is assisting the local police in the ongoing inquiry. Here’s what we know about the incident so far.
What happened?
On Sunday evening, about 1,000 people were attending a New Year’s Eve concert at the Kodak Center. According to officials, it was around 12:50 a.m. when concertgoers were let out of the venue and were being assisted by officers in crossing the road. It was then that a Ford Expedition traveling east hit a Mitsubishi Outlander, a ride-share vehicle, that was leaving a parking lot.
“The force of the collision caused the two vehicles to go through a group of pedestrians that were in the crosswalk and then into two other vehicles,” Rochester Police Chief David Smith said during a Monday press conference. “There was a large fire associated with the crash that took the Rochester Fire Department almost one hour to extinguish.”
Two people traveling in the Mitsubishi were pronounced dead on the scene while the driver was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Three pedestrians were hit and later hospitalized with one in life-threatening condition, per Smith. The driver of the Ford was also hospitalized with serious injuries, but later died.
By Tuesday, the number of injured increased from five to nine as more people began to come forward to the authorities.
A minimum of a dozen gas canisters were found in and around the Ford following the extinguishing of the blaze, prompting the involvement of the police department’s bomb squad and the city’s joint arson task force.
moe., the band that was performing at the concert prior to the crash, issued a statement saying the incident left them in “profound shock and sadness.”
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with those who were injured,” the statement read.
What do we know about the suspect?
During a Tuesday news briefing, the Rochester Police Department identified the driver who prompted the crash as Michael Avery, 35, of Syracuse. Avery died of his injuries overnight.
Per officials, Avery traveled to Rochester around December 27 and rented the Ford Expedition from a rental agency at the Rochester Airport two days later. Smith confirmed that Avery made at least six different purchases of gasoline and gasoline canisters at multiple locations throughout Monroe and Ontario Counties.
“Thus far, information has shown he was alone when making these purchases,” Smith said.
The police chief also disputed an earlier report from CNN that investigators reportedly found a suicide note and journal in his hotel room. The police claim that no such note was found and that a search of Avery’s room provided no clues to a motive for his actions.
What are the authorities saying?
ABC News reported that the incident was being investigated as a possible terrorist incident, citing a law enforcement source.
The FBI’s field office in Buffalo issued a statement late Monday morning confirming that it is aiding the Rochester police in its investigation. “As we continue to investigate and collaborate with our law enforcement partners, details are limited at this time,” the agency said.
As the investigation continues, the Rochester police said that no official motive has been discovered and that it appears that Avery was working alone.
“Although the motive behind the crime remains unknown, the conversations we’ve had with his family so far leads us to believe that Avery may have been suffering from possible undiagnosed mental health issues,” Smith said. “At this time, we’ve not been able to identify that there was anyone else involved in the crime or that it was part of a larger plot.”
Smith also said that law enforcement has not discovered any evidence that suggests that Avery’s actions were due to some form of “political or social bias,” but noted that the investigation was still ongoing.
