ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A man, 21, is accused of firing a gun during July’s deadly mass shooting in Maplewood Park.

Two people died and five others were injured in the shooting, which broke out as hundreds of people had gathered for a community picnic. Niger Johnson is charged with reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon. He was arrested on Friday morning.

Rochester Police have not accused Johnson of shooting anyone. They say he was among the at least nine people who fired guns that evening and at the 16 people who carried guns in the park. Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said investigators won’t rest until all people who were involved in the mass shooting are held accountable.

“We need to make sure that they know that there will be no safe place for them to try to hide. They need to be brought to the light, but more importantly, they need to be brought to justice,” he said.

The shooting killed 25-year-old Tyasia Manning and 33-year-old Phylicia Council, died. Manning’s mother spoke with News10NBC, describing her as an artistic person who loved working with youth at the city R-Centers. She was at the barbecue with family members.

We also spoke with Phylicia Council’s father, who remembers his daughter as a loving person who worked with special needs children at a Hillside group home for ten years. Hillside leaders planted a tree in Council’s memory. Evans said both victims were dedicated to helping others and had their whole lives ahead of them.

“We owe it to the families of Phylicia and Tyasia to make sure we get justice for this individual that was apprehended this morning,” he said.

Back in September, RPD asked the community for help with finding Johnson. On Friday, U.S. Marshals arrested Johnson outside his grandmother’s house on Arnett Boulevard. He was taken to the Monroe County Jail and will be arraigned on Saturday in Rochester City Court.

RPD Chief David Smith said Johnson was also arrested back in 2022 and 2023 for the illegal possession of a handgun.

Evans said the park was full of people enjoying the beautiful summer weather before it took a violent turn. He said two innocent lives were taken because people brought their feuds to the park.

“There were grandmothers in the park that day. There were little kids in the park that day. A day that was supposed to be a day of celebration should have not turned into a day of horror,” he said.

RPD is asking anyone with information on other suspects to call the Major Crimes Unit at 428-7157 or email MajorCrimes@CityofRochester.gov. You can see the full news conference here: