Malik Evans promises to reveal vision for Rochester in coming days

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Malik Evans has been the presumptive mayor since winning the Democratic primary in June.

He says since then, he’s been preparing for when the votes are tallied Tuesday night, and it will be official.

He’ll spend the night at the Democratic Party Election Night Headquarters at the Hyatt in Downtown Rochester.

He said as his first Election Day without his dad, who passed away recently, it’s bittersweet.

He visited his father’s gravesite after he voted on East Avenue Tuesday morning. He brought his son with him.

Evans will take over one of the toughest jobs in our community.

When he was done voting, he was asked about an issue he’s going to have to deal with: Violence, especially in city schools.

"And what has really touched me the most is — if anybody remembers over the summer, a 16-year-old kid, innocent 16-year-old kid, I think his name was Manuel Rivera, was shot and killed minding his own business from two individuals arguing over a dirt bike," Evans said. "And it made the news for a second. But then you would have thought there would be outrage in the community. And then there was nothing. So how can anyone be surprised there’s violence seeping into our schools?"

Evans called the level of violence a state of emergency.

In the coming days he promised to reveal his vision for Rochester, and he said he’s going to start coaxing people to join his team.