ROCHESTER, N.Y. — During a press conference Tuesday, Rochester Police say the enlistment of out-of-state gang members in a turf war over illegal marijuana distribution led to the fatal shooting of Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz.

“During the summer of 2022, an investigation began into the marijuana distribution network in the city of Rochester run by a man known as Brandon Washington,” said Capt. Frank Umbrino, Rochester Police Department. “That resulted in three different search warrant executions in June and July.”

According to federal court documents, Washington self-identifies as a member of the nationally-recognized gang known as the Crips. The paperwork alleges he clashed with a person identified only as “RS,” someone who Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents say is aligned with the Bloods, another gang.

"I have no problem saying, do we have a gang issue here in Rochester? Sure we do,” Umbrino said. “We got 65 murders, a lot of which are related to feuds."

The federal complaint says a drug house on 6th Street was the center of repeated violence in this feud, including a homicide in mid-July and an attempted arson days later.

“We would later learn that all these incidents were connected,” said Umbrino.

Major Crimes Unit investigators shifted their focus to Laser Street July 21, a day after a double homicide on North Clinton Avenue in which Kelvin Vickers and two others are now also charged. A vehicle potentially belonging to one of the suspects was spotted in the driveway of a home. Officers Mazurkiewicz and Sino Seng were parked nearby, watching a number of people on the porch of the home, including Vickers.

“Vickers leaves the porch, sneaks across the street through backyards and secretes himself behind a row of overgrown bushes behind 63 Laser Street. That is when he opened fire on the officers,” Umbrino said.

Vickers is accused of shooting both officers, along with a 15-year-old girl struck in her home by a stray round. Mazurkeiwicz died later that night.

The federal complaint says Seng was hit three times. He is still recovering.

“They did it because they were dedicated officers, and they served this community and they wanted to prevent further violence from occurring from these animals that are doing what they’re doing,” said Umbrino.

Vickers remains in custody.