In less than a year, the village of Sodus has seen four homicides.

Late last year, 17-year-old Alyssa Taft was stabbed and killed by her ex-boyfriend. 

Zackary Dwello, 17, was stabbed and killed in Newark last December.

Earlier this summer, 18-year-old Selena Hidalgo-Calderon's body was found on a Joy Road farm. Remains believed to be those of her young son, Owen, were found two weeks ago. Their deaths are considered suspicious but have not been declared homicides.

Now the community is dealing with the deaths of Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn, 24, who were shot and killed Monday afternoon in a home on Carlton Street. 

"It was like another loss, another big hit," said Sodus teacher Deborah Brown. She also owns a quilting store in the small town. "We don't just take it as an individual thing, we take it holistically. The family, the community — everyone is affected by this." 

"As you know, we've had a lot of problems up here this summer," said Wayne County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Stephen Sklenar. "I don't know why, what's changed. I don't know. But it is very serious and we take it very seriously."

The Sheriff's Office, joined by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Ontario County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police, are continuing to look for the person responsible. The suspect was last seen running from the Carlton Street house around 2 p.m. Monday, wearing a dark hoodie and green hat. 

Law enforcement officers have followed several leads, including at a trailer park on Route 104, but nothing has panned out yet.

Officials are advising residents to stay in their homes and be alert.

Wayne County Sheriff's officials said they believe this was not a random act, that the victims were targeted and the general public is not at risk.

One neighbor, Anthony Mancine, says he witnessed the homicide. He says he had just gotten home and was bringing in coffee to his wife, when he heard what he thought at first were fireworks, but what he saw instead had him immediately calling 911.

“The person fired six or seven rounds at the guy on the ground, turned around and shot the woman in the car and the car started rolling back across the street and the person turned and fired at the person on the ground,” Mancine said.

Mancine describes the shooter as a slender person, who didn’t appear to be used to firing a gun.

He says he later saw a three-year-old child taken out of the back of the car by deputies. The young son of the victims, who has autism, is now with his grandmother.

While deputies say it was an isolated incident, Mancine says the fact that the suspect is still on the loose is very concerning to him and his wife.

“It’s something that’s unheard of in this neighborhood," he said. "I told my wife I says, 'I was a security guard for years, I got a carry permit, this is the first time in 25 years I want to get my gun out and carry it, it just doesn't happen in this neighborhood. That’s why we moved here.”

Mancine says the victims are a couple that had just moved into the home there last year. 

“I hope the community comes together, and we can find out what happened, and take care of whatever the problem is that’s going around town," said Cathy Hanagan. "We’ve had a lot of problems around town, and hopefully we can get things taken care of as a community.”