ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The city of Rochester continues dealing with historic levels of deadly violence.
Now two and a half weeks after the mayor of Rochester declared a gun violence state of emergency, he provided an update to the public on the city's progress on Tuesday.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith says the most recent fatal shooting of 16-year-old Jaquise Davis Monday night on Pennsylvania Avenue brings the number of homicides in the city this year to 47.
Smith says 26 of those investigations have been closed and there are several leads in others.
The RPD continues targeting areas that it calls “high crime areas,” including the Upper Falls area and Marketview Heights neighborhoods.
Due to staffing shortages, the department's Community Affairs Bureau will be setting up a command post to perform foot patrols near the International Market.
The city says its goal when it comes to stopping violence is prevention, intervention and suppression.
“We are approaching this State of Emergency as the public health crisis that it is,” Evans said in a statement. “I will continue to provide regular updates in an effort to maintain a spotlight on this issue, and also to ensure that our good work and progress is being reported just as much as the incidents of violence making headlines.”
Evans says the emergency order lasts 30 days and will likely be renewed.