ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A 17-year-old was shot and killed Sunday evening while riding his bicycle at the basketball court of the Harriet Tubman Estates parking lot.
Rochester police officers arrived at the scene around 7:30 p.m. for the report of a person shot. They say there they discovered the victim, who was suffering from one gunshot wound to the upper body.
The officers began life-saving measures, but police later confirmed the victim was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to URMC, for what is now the city’s 31st homicide this year.
Authorities identified the teenager as Jeremiah Baker Monday morning. Baker was also a Rochester City School District (RCSD) student.
Investigators said they believe the victim was an intended target. The victim lived in Harriet Tubman Estates and was riding his bike in the parking lot. Right now, authorities are in need of information.
“I can’t stress enough to the apartment complex to people that were out there – anybody, any small bit of information, please come forward, please call us 911, 311, Crimestoppers,” says RPD Lt. Greg Bello.
Investigators added there were other kids in the area but were not injured with the trauma from this shooting permeating into the community as a whole.
“At the end of the day 17-year-old is a kid, he’s a high school student in the City School District — a 17-year-old was murdered in front of other kids. So in terms of the basketball court, my understanding is there’s kids as young as 10-years-old that were out playing on the basketball courts and may have witnessed what occurred last night… so it’s a trauma that went around all in our community last night,” Lt. Bello says.
Officials say there is no suspect in custody and anyone with information is urged to call 911.
“If everybody keeps turning the other cheek, if everybody keeps turning the other direction and saying it’s not my problem, I’m not involved with that then we’re all complicit, right, then we’re all complicit in allowing these shootings and these murders to happen,” says Lt. Bello.
RCSD Superintendent Myers-Small issued the following statement on the killing of Baker:
In less than two weeks, we have had two students fall to gun violence and I am absolutely distressed, hurt, and angry. We mourn at a time when our scholars should be celebrating proms, graduations, and plans for summer vacation. Again, we must come together as a community to protect our children from these senseless acts that take them from us far too soon. We send our deepest condolences to Jeremiah’s family.
A week prior to this shooting, fellow student Zahira Amaya Smith was shot on Emerson Street when she was struck by a volley of gunshots while attending an invite-only birthday party.
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