ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After Rochester Police released the body cam footage of what led police to shoot and kill a man, identifed as Mark Gaskill, 28 of Rochester, on Friday, Ashley Anderson visited the makeshift memorial for him Saturday.

She said the police video did not give her any better understanding about what happened. 


What You Need To Know

  • Rochester Police released the body cam footage of what led an officer to shoot and kill a man on Glasser Street Friday

  • Ashley Anderson knew the man who was killed, and said the police video did not give her any better understanding about what happened

  • The investigation is now in the hands of State Attorney General Letitia James

"It looked like he was complying,” said Anderson. “It was too many black holes and the footage had horrible angles. I just know that he didn't deserve to be shot as many times as he was shot, if there was a gun involved or not. Y'all shot about four times, took a pause, shoot again, paused and then shot again."

Police say this was a dire example of the dangerous situations officers face, but as someone who knew the man who was killed, Anderson said she was devastated to learn what happened.

"He's a giving person,” Anderson said. “If I call him, he's coming, especially if he can, he will come. He will give his last to someone, especially if he loved you. I just know that he did not deserve to be treated the way he was treated. He tried to get out the car. They wouldn't let him. I just don't understand."

She also came to the memorial to send a message.

"People love him,” said Anderson. “He has a lot of people that love him and he is not going to be forgotten. We need answers because that wasn't OK."

Free the People ROC released a statement also saying the body camera footage raises more questions than it answers. The group is calling the Police Accountability Board to be granted access to the unreacted footage from all officers present at the scene.

The body cam footage on Glasser Street first shows officers stopping a car they say was seen leaving a nearby incident where there was a report of shots fired.

Officers in the footage take turns speaking to the passengers of the vehicle and ask to open the back seat door. That is when an officer says a back seat passenger pulls a gun from his waistband.

In the video, you can hear officers yell “gun” and see them run from the car.

Officers fired several shots, killing the man.

The body camera footage goes on to show officers recovering a gun from the vehicle. They say it was located next to the man's hand. 

The investigation is now in the hands of State Attorney General Letitia James. 

Two RPD officers have been placed on administrative leave as a result of the incident, Interim Police Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan announced Friday.