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Four more homicides in Rochester over the weekend

A police officer inside a Rochester police cruiser.
James Brown/WXXI News file photo
/
WXXI News
A police officer inside a Rochester police cruiser.

Rochester recorded four more homicides this weekend, bringing the total number of homicides this year up to 75.

The most recent slaying happened late Saturday night on the northeast side. Police were called to the area of Athens and Harris Streets just before 11 p.m. for a report of a male shot.

When they got there, they found a man in his 30s with multiple gunshot wounds. The man, who police said is a city resident, was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

His name has not been released, and police are still investigating.

Another homicide was reported at about noon Saturday on Pioneer Street in the 19th Ward. Police said that 34-year-old Malcolm Owens and another man went to the home to visit Owens' father, 64-year-old Steven Owens. Both men were shot. Malcolm Owens died at the scene, the other man suffered non-life threatening wounds.

Police later were able to find Steven Owens inside a residence in southwest Rochester. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with 2nd degree murder and 2nd degree assault.

Two other slayings this weekend happened Friday night and early Saturday.

One of those homicides happened on West Avenue. Police say that at about 11:45 p.m. Friday, they were called to the parking lot of the P.I. Lounge at 493 West Ave. for the report of a person shot.

When police got there, they found a man in his late 30s with at least one gunshot wound to his upper body. He was taken to URMC with very serious injuries, but his condition has been upgraded to stable.

While officers were on the scene on West Avenue, they got a call for a man shot in a vehicle on Day Place.

When police got there, officers found 38-year-old Stephen Morgan of Rochester, who they say was also shot in the upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said Morgan was also shot in the rear parking lot at 493 West Ave.

Authorities said the preliminary investigation indicates there was a shootout in the parking lot at 493 West Ave., in which nearly two dozen shots were fired. Officers said it appears one person was standing in the parking lot when he was shot and Morgan was sitting in a car in that lot when he was shot.

Police said it appears that Morgan was not the intended target of the gunfire, but got caught in the cross-fire of shots fired in the parking lot.

Police say there were several dozen people in the parking lot when the gunshots were fired and they are looking for anyone with information to call 911, Major Crimes at 585-428-7157, or Crime Stoppers at 585-423-9300. Or email Major Crimes: MajorCrimes@cityofrochester.gov.

In a separate incident early Saturday, police said at about 2 a.m., when the Black Bear Pub was closing at 383 W. Ridge Road, there was a large crowd gathered in the rear parking lot at that location. Police got a call about gunshots fired and at least one person reportedly shot.

When they got there, they found a man, estimated to be in his 30s, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are also asking anyone information to contact them in that homicide as well. The latest homicides happen after Mayor Lovely Warren declared a state of emergencyon Friday to help bring additional resources to combat the recent spike in violence.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.