2024 Rochester attack

2024 Rochester attack
Location	Rochester, New York
Date	January 1, 2024 00:50
Attack type	Suicide bombing, firebombing, car bombing
Weapon	2023 Ford Expedition
Deaths	4 (including the perpetrator)
Injured	8
Perpetrator	Michael Avery

On the morning of January 1, 2024, a vehicle laden with canisters of gasoline driven by Michael Avery exploded after crashing into another vehicle in front of the Kodak Theater, which was hosting New Year's Eve celebrations. ^[1] Justina Hughes and Joshua Orr, two occupants of the vehicle, were killed along with Avery. The Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the incident as a hate crime and act of terrorism, though Rochester Police later indicated there was no evidence of a bias-related attack. ^[2]

Attack

A New Year's Eve concert was occurring at the Kodak Theater in Rochester, New York, which attracted approximately 1,000 guests. At 12:50 a.m. ET, concertgoers began leaving the venue and crossing the street via a nearby crosswalk. The suspect, driving a rented 2023 Ford Expedition, began to drive toward the crosswalk at an accelerated rate of speed crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic. The suspect's vehicle hit a Mitsubishi Outlander with two passengers in the back seat that was leaving a nearby parking lot, causing the suspect's vehicle to catch on fire around that time. The two passengers, Justina Hughes, 28 and Joshua Orr, 29, in the Mitsubishi along with the perpetrator were killed while 9 others were wounded. ^[3]

A third victim died of her injuries several weeks later. ^[4]

Perpetrator

Authorities named 35-year-old Michael Avery (1988 – January 1, 2024) as the perpetrator of the attack. Avery lived in North Syracuse, New York at the time of the attack according to public records, located next to Syracuse which is 87 miles east of Rochester. Police recovered video of Avery purchasing gasoline and gasoline canisters at various locations within both Monroe and Ontario counties on December 30, a day after Avery left his personal vehicle at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. Two days prior to it, Avery rented a WoodSpring Suites hotel room in neighboring Greece. ^[5]

From 2003 until 2016, Avery had a long history of minor interactions with law enforcement all across Onondaga County, including incidents in Syracuse, North Syracuse, Warners, Baldwinsville, Geddes, and Camillus. Avery graduated from West Genesee High School in Camillus in 2007. ^[6]

References

1. Lenthang, Marlene (2 January 2024). "No evidence of terrorism in Rochester, N.Y., crash that left 2 dead and multiple injured, police say". NBC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
2. Souza, Sabrina; Salahieh, Nouran; Gingras, Brynn; Tebor, Celina (2 January 2024). "Federal investigators say they've identified no connection to terrorism in deadly Rochester crash". CNN. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
3. Brasch, Ben (2 January 2024). "2 dead after man plows SUV loaded with gas canisters into New Year's crowd". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
4. "A 4th person has died after fiery crash near western New York concert, but motive remains a mystery". Associated Press. 12 January 2024. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
5. Napier, Jackie; Minor, Carleigh (2 January 2024). "Driver in fiery crash that killed 2 others, injured 9 more outside Kodak Center dies". 13WHAM. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
6. Wight, Conor (2 January 2024). "Police searching for motive after Onondaga County man causes fiery crash in Rochester". CNY Central. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.