SALINA, N.Y. — Rochester Police are showing solidarity with first responders in Syracuse after two officers were killed in a shootout on Sunday night. A number of RPD officers will travel to Syracuse to offer whatever assistance they can.

A Syracuse Police officer, Michael Jensen, and an Onondaga County sheriff’s deputy, Lt. Michael Hoosock, were shot after tracking a vehicle to a home in the Town of Salina. First responders lined the street outside of the hospital where officers died. Many of them had tears streaming down their faces as the bodies of their colleagues were brought to the medical examiner’s office. 

The Rochester Police Department knows what it feels like to lose their own in the line of duty, which has happened twice in the past 10 years. Most recently, Officer Tony Mazurkiewicz’ was shot and killed in an ambush in July 2022. Before that, Officer Daryl Pierson was shot and killed while chasing a suspect in September 2014.

Paul Dondorfer, vice president of the Rochester Police Locust Club union, spoke about what it feels like to have an officer die in the line of duty.

“It doesn’t matter what patch is on our sleeve, we’re all one team in this state and throughout the county and it’s our responsibility to help our other agencies when they’re knocked down,” Dondorfer said.

“We have reached out to our brothers and sisters in the Syracuse and the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office and we’ve offered our assistance in regards to the planning of the funeral for the heroes that we’re murdered last night. Unfortunately, it hits home hard for us in the Rochester area. Over the last 10 years or so, we’ve had to bury two of our own.”

It was just a few months ago that the man who killed Officer Mazurkewicz was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In Syracuse, the suspect in the shooting was killed so there won’t be a trial.