A Rochester city student is one of the latest victims in a string of homicides.
An East High School sophomore will not be returning to class this year. On Monday night, 16-year-old Jaquise Davis was shot and killed near his home on Pennsylvania Avenue.
According to Rochester police, he was found suffering a gunshot wound to his torso before 10:30 p.m. Police, firefighters and ambulance crews tried life-saving measures but the youth was pronounced dead at Strong Memorial Hospital.
"The East community is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Jaquise Davis," East High school superintendent Shaun Nelms said. “Our hearts break as we mourn with the family, friends, and the community. A young life has been tragically cut short by gun violence.”
Davis is one of several city students who have been killed by gun violence in the past year. Jeremiah Baker, 17, was killed while riding his bike outside his home in Upper Falls in June. Zahira Smith, 16, was killed at a birthday party on Emerson Street in May.
Bryson Simpson, 17, was killed shortly after stepping off a school bus on Otis Street in March. An Edison Tech classmate, Salahuddin Floyd Jr., 18, was later apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Task Force and charged with Bryson's killing.
“In the upcoming year, we will continue to teach and reinforce restorative practices to ensure safety in our schools and throughout the Rochester community,” Nelms said.
A Trauma Response Team will be available at East High on Wednesday, August 10, from 9:15am to 11:30 am to offer support to staff and students affected by Davis’s killing, Nelms said. For any additional support, people can call (585) 324-3651.
