HAMLIN, N.Y. — The families of the two men found dead in a torched car early Monday morning are still coming to grips with their loss.
The Monroe County Sheriff on Wednesday confirmed the identities of the two victims, Bruce Kane, 18, of Sweden, and passenger Alexander Burrow, 20, of Clarkson, both graduates of Brockport High School. Both men had been shot but their cause of death has not been confirmed.
Walking through his family’s organic farm and greenhouse, Shane Burrow called his late brother a ray of sunshine and someone who always helped the family when needed.
"This is a small town crime against a small town kid. That's what this is," said Shane Burrow, Alexander's brother.
"That part of the greenhouse, right there, we built that together," Burrow said. "He was a kid who didn't have an easy life. He lost his father at an early age, but he survived it and grew strong and was a person who wanted to do for his community."
Alexander was a record-breaking swimmer at Brockport High School. He ran track and played football for the Blue Devils. His 2016 yearbook shows he and a classmate sharing a "Bests" photo for "Best Eyes," a reference to Alexander's steel blue eyes.
Burrow lifeguarded and earned his badge as a Boy Scout. He studied and ran track at Franklin Pierce College, but after his freshman year, Burrow suffered serious injuries in a car crash in Bergen. He transferred to the University of Buffalo and was preparing for his second year there.
"He was a tremendous man, always ready to show you what he'd be willing to do to help, if you asked," Shane Burrow said.
Kane attended Brockport High School with Burrow and just graduated in June.
His family declined to comment.
For a time, they were on the boys’ varsity swim team together.
The school released a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying they are “saddened to learn of the loss of two former students” and that they “offer our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and all those affected by this tragedy.”
Counselors will be available at the school this week for students and staff.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is imploring anyone with information on their deaths to come forward.
“Anything you’ve seen, your dog bark, we’ll take it all,” said Sheriff Todd Baxter. “We gotta get that information out there, we need feedback, and don’t think you’ve got a piece of information that’s not important. That’s for us to determine, share that information.”
In particular, they’re looking for the driver of a dark pick-up truck that appeared on surveillance video from the Crosby’s convenience store late Sunday night. The driver is not a person of interest, but police believe the driver might have seen or heard something while in the store’s parking lot.
The sheriff reiterated that this is an isolated incident but admitted that this is a concerning incident for Hamlin.
Investigators say the vehicle belonged to Kane's father. A man working at a nearby business discovered the extinguished remains of the burned-out red sedan Monday morning and discovered the victims. Authorities say the crime took place in the early overnight hours between Sunday and Monday, September 9 and 10.
The sheriff said the tipline has been invaluable in helping authorities understand what might have happened over the weekend. Both Baxter and the family of Burrow asked anyone to come forward with anything they know, or any security camera footage they believe may help.
Friends and family will gather at 7 p.m. Sunday at Hafner Park in Clarkson for a candlelight vigil to remember both Alex Burrow and Bruce Kane.