2024 Rochester attack
{{Short description|2024 attack in Rochester, New York}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = 2024 Rochester attack
| location = Rochester, New York
| date = January 1, 2024
| time = 00:50
| type = Suicide bombing, firebombing, car bombing
| weapon = 2023 Ford Expedition
| fatalities = 4 (including the perpetrator)
| injuries = 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.{{cite news |last=Lenthang |first=Marlene |date=2 January 2024 |title=No evidence of terrorism in Rochester, N.Y., crash that left 2 dead and multiple injured, police say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-years-day-crash-kills-2-injures-5-rochester-ny-gasoline-canisters-rcna131836 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110024748/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-years-day-crash-kills-2-injures-5-rochester-ny-gasoline-canisters-rcna131836 |archive-date=10 January 2024 |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Souza |first1=Sabrina |last2=Salahieh |first2=Nouran |last3=Gingras |first3=Brynn |last4=Tebor |first4=Celina |date=2 January 2024 |title=Federal investigators say they've identified no connection to terrorism in deadly Rochester crash |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/01/us/kodak-center-new-york-car-crash/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111161209/https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/01/us/kodak-center-new-york-car-crash/index.html |archive-date=11 January 2024 |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=CNN}}
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.{{cite news |last=Brasch |first=Ben |date=2 January 2024 |title=2 dead after man plows SUV loaded with gas canisters into New Year's crowd |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/02/rochester-crash-kodak-center-terror-attack-investigation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240228064719/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/02/rochester-crash-kodak-center-terror-attack-investigation/ |archive-date=28 February 2024 |access-date=2 January 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}
A third victim died of her injuries several weeks later.{{cite news |date=12 January 2024 |title=A 4th person has died after fiery crash near western New York concert, but motive remains a mystery |url=https://apnews.com/article/rochester-crash-concert-hall-new-years-081d4e626ae6bc9c4129d48aa66bfcf6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226162725/https://apnews.com/article/rochester-crash-concert-hall-new-years-081d4e626ae6bc9c4129d48aa66bfcf6 |archive-date=26 February 2024 |access-date=14 January 2024 |work=Associated Press}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Napier |first1=Jackie |last2=Minor |first2=Carleigh |date=2 January 2024 |title=Driver in fiery crash that killed 2 others, injured 9 more outside Kodak Center dies |url=https://13wham.com/news/local/driver-in-deadly-crash-outside-kodak-center-dies |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109181002/https://13wham.com/news/local/driver-in-deadly-crash-outside-kodak-center-dies |archive-date=9 January 2024 |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=13WHAM}}
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.{{cite news |last=Wight |first=Conor |date=2 January 2024 |title=Police searching for motive after Onondaga County man causes fiery crash in Rochester |url=https://cnycentral.com/news/i-team/police-searching-for-motive-after-onondaga-county-man-causes-fiery-crash-in-rochester |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240202044117/https://cnycentral.com/news/i-team/police-searching-for-motive-after-onondaga-county-man-causes-fiery-crash-in-rochester |archive-date=2 February 2024 |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=CNY Central}}
References
{{Road incidents in 2024}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rochester attack, 2024}}
Category:Vehicle-ramming attacks in the United States
Category:Suicide car and truck bombings in the United States
Category:Suicide bombings in 2024
Category:2024 in New York (state)
Category:January 2024 crimes in the United States
Category:Mass murder in the United States in the 2020s
Category:Car and truck bombings in 2024
Category:Attacks during New Year celebrations
Category:2020s vehicle-ramming attacks
Category:2020s road incidents in North America
Category:Attacks in the United States in 2024