A shooting at a Rochester park on Sunday night left two women dead, five people injured and hundreds of people fleeing, police said.
Rochester police have identified the two victims killed when gunfire rang out in Maplewood Park in upstate New York as city employee Tiasia Manning, 25, and event organizer Phylicia Council, 34.
Manning died at the scene and Council died from his injuries at a local hospital.
“People were out enjoying the warm weather, being in a celebratory mood and having a good time,” Mayor Malik Evans said at a news conference Monday. Posted by WHAM. “But still, there were some cowards who decided to start shooting.”
Five other victims are expected to recover from their injuries after a series of gunfire occurred in the park at about 6.20pm.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith said multiple guns were fired during the shooting, but did not say exactly how many suspects there were. No arrests have been announced.
Footage of the incident posted online purportedly of the incident showed the crowd enjoying a barbecue fleeing the park as chaos unfolded.
Authorities are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the shooter.
“You have an obligation to make your voice heard because your family member could be the next Phylicia or Tiasia,” Evans said.
Council ran a private event planning company called “Imperfectly Perfect,” and her friend He told the Democrat and Chronicle.
“She should never have had to go through this,” Turbo Lewis said. “She was a loving, caring, outgoing person. … It’s just sad.”
Manning had been working with children at the city’s Carter Street R Center, which focuses on youth programs.
Shirley Green, Director of Recreation and Human Services He told the newspaper Manning was dedicated to her work and was known as “Mama Bear.”
“The kids loved her and she loved them,” Green said.
