Peace advocate reacts to multiple shootings hours apart in Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Police are searching for the shooters of two shootings that involved three victims in Rochester Wednesday afternoon. 

While RPD is investigating both shootings, Clay Harris the Founder of Uniting and Healing through Hope of Monroe County says, these are not only hurting the victims, but the entire community. 

Two shootings- three victims shot just hours apart in Rochester.  

The first shooting happened around 2 p.m. on Chili Avenue. An 18-year-old girl and a man in his 30’s were both shot in the upper body. 

Then just after 6 p.m. on Clay and Lake avenues a 17-year-old  was shot.  

“It’s certainly a frustration both to the department and to our community and that’s why we continue to work towards solving these and holding those that want to bring this violence to our community accountable,” Lt. Greg Bello with the Rochester Police Department said.

In order to solve these violent crimes, information from neighbors in the community helps police get the bad guys off the streets.

“And that’s where we need the community to step forward and call shootings like this unacceptable, broad daylight,” says Bello. “We all gotta come together to stop this gun violence. I look around there’s pathways to peace. There’s a civilian over there to help prevent some of these shootings. There’s resources out there to help.”

Resources like Uniting and Healing through Hope of Monroe County are on the ground focused on helping those in the community.  One shooting is too many but two within hours of each other is disheartening Harris explained. The violence is impacting all areas he says from the suburbs to the city.

“We are losing too many of our young people. Not just in terms of death but in terms of the violence and the harm to them,” says Harris.

Harris, just like Lt. Bello, believes the community plays a big part in stopping the reoccurring violence that is plaguing areas across Rochester.

“We have to come together as a community, we have to not just sit on the sidelines and say oh how bad it is. We gotta get engaged and active,” says Harris.

So far this year, Mayor Malik Evans said there have been more than 40 shooting victims in Rochester.

Last year there were 339.