Authorities are searching for answers following an apparent attack that resulted in multiple fatalities as well as numerous injuries in Rochester, New York.
The incident occurred at approximately 12:50 am on New Year’s Day as roughly 1,000 people were leaving a concert at Kodak Center. As the streets were packed, a Ford Expedition struck a Mitsubishi Outlander that was exiting a parking lot.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith said the force of the impact caused the two vehicles to “go through” a group of pedestrians, which were in a crosswalk, before hitting two other vehicles. A “large” fire then erupted and took nearly an hour to extinguish.
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The collision had tragic consequences as two occupants in the Outlander were killed, while the driver survived and was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Three pedestrians were struck including one that was seriously injured.
While accidents are not surprising in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill crash as authorities discovered the Expedition was loaded with a dozen gas containers. This raised fears about a possible terrorist attack and police began looking for answers with the assistance of the FBI.
During a briefing earlier today, Smith identified the suspect as 35-year-old Michael Avery from the Syracuse area. He died as a result of his injuries, leaving police with more questions than answers.
However, Smith said Avery came to Rochester around December 27 and checked into a nearby hotel. He then rented the Expedition on December 29 and made “at least a half dozen purchases of gasoline and gas containers” on December 30.
Smith said the initial investigation points to Avery acting intentionally. He also revealed at least nine pedestrians were injured as additional people have come forward since the initial briefing.
Search warrants have been executed, but no suicide note was found in Avery’s hotel room or personal vehicle. Authorities believe he acted alone, but his motive remains a lingering question, especially since this appears to be a premeditated attack. However, Smith said conversations with family members have indicated Avery might have been suffering from “possible undiagnosed mental health issues.”