Three Rochester police officers were shot and wounded Friday night while responding to a domestic violence call, and the armed suspect was killed after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement. One officer remains in critical condition following emergency surgery.
The incident began at approximately 10:15 p.m. when officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Chili Avenue. The caller reported that his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend was attempting to break into her residence. The caller informed dispatch that the ex-boyfriend might be armed and identified himself as a legal pistol permit holder who was armed at the scene.
Rochester Police Department Chief David Smith detailed the sequence of events during a Saturday morning briefing. Upon arrival, officers quickly located the ex-boyfriend along the side of the residence. The suspect immediately drew a handgun and opened fire on both the responding officers and the caller at close range.
Two officers were struck by multiple rounds during this initial exchange. The caller and the suspect then engaged in a gunfight, during which the caller sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect fled the immediate area but was located within minutes at a nearby intersection by another officer.
When ordered to stop, the suspect responded by firing on the third officer. That officer and additional responding policemen returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times. The suspect died at the scene.
Of the three wounded officers, one sustained multiple gunshots to the upper body and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery. He remains in critical but stable condition. A second officer, who was wearing a ballistic vest, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body but sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is listed in stable condition. The third officer, shot at the intersection, suffered serious injuries to the upper body and is also in stable condition.
The caller who initially contacted police was shot multiple times and is listed in serious but stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. All injured parties received treatment at Strong Memorial Hospital, where Chief Smith noted that all three officers received life-saving medical intervention.
Police have not released the identities of any individuals involved in the incident. Chief Smith indicated that each of the wounded officers has served fewer than ten years with the department.
“Every day, the brave men and women of the Rochester Police Department risk their lives to make our city a safer place,” Smith stated during the briefing. “Saying you’re going to go out and risk your life is an easy thing to do. Actually going out and risking your life like our officers did last night is a completely different level of dedication.”
The incident remains under active investigation by multiple agencies, including the Rochester Police Department, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, and the department’s Professional Standards Section. Such multi-agency review is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
The shooting serves as a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face during routine calls, particularly those involving domestic disputes and armed individuals.
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