Rochester Police have confirmed that one of the two officers shot on Bauman Street on the northeast side Thursday night died of his injuries.
The officer was identified as Anthony Mazurkiewicz, a 29-year veteran of the department.
His partner, Officer Sino Seng, was also shot. He was treated at the hospital and released.
Officials said the officers were on Bauman Street on Thursday night when at least one male suspect approached them and opened fire.
Mazurkiewicz was shot at least once in the upper body. He later died at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Seng was shot at least once in the lower body. He was treated at Rochester General Hospital and later released.
A visibly shaken Chief David Smith said at a news conference Friday morning that a reporter asked him just the other day about the dangers that police face on a regular basis.
“My response to him was every day, the men and women of this department leave home, not knowing if they’re going to return to see their families at the end of their shift,” Smith said.
Smith referred to the shooting as a "cowardly ambush" and said that the two officers "fell victim to the very violence in our community that we are trying to combat."
Mayor Malik Evans called it a “sad day for our community” and a nightmare for any family, but he said it’s even worse for an officer’s family knowing "there’s always a chance they may not come home.”
Evans credited both officers for continuing to try to make a difference.
“Tony Mazurkiewicz and Sino Seng were out yesterday trying to combat the very violence and carnage that I and the chief have talked about over the last six months,” Evans said.
“We need a time out from terror,” said City Councilmember Michael Patterson, who represents the northeast district.
The officer shooting, and a triple shooting earlier in the week that left two dead, highlights the gun violence that continues to grip the city.
Patterson wants the state to enact a “dangerousness standard” specific to gun charges that would allow judges to hold suspects in custody. New York previously considered such a measure but dropped it, frustrating Patterson who then saw Albany take quick action on conceal carry permits.
He said legislators explained their hesitance being that “too many black people are being incarcerated,” he said. “My response was we’ve got too many Black people being shot.”
Whether such a standard plays into the police shooting is unclear, as police have yet to identify the suspect. But maybe such a measure would lead to fewer people carrying guns in the first place, Patterson said.
Dozens of police officers from various agencies have blanketed that neighborhood since the shooting.
Evans implored anyone with information to speak up.
Includes reporting from WXXI reporter Brian Sharp.
