News10NBC Investigates: Violent weekend but shootings still down 50% since July

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – It was a terrible weekend of gun violence in Rochester. Nine people shot. One person killed.

But we want to let you know about a dramatic drop in the number of people getting shot. According to the RPD Open Data Portal, between July 1st and 25th, 46 people were shot in Rochester. Between August 1st and 25th, only 26 were shot. The number of murders are cut in half too.

Brean: “We had a tough weekend. But month to month, down 50%. Why do you think that’s happened?”

Mayor Malik Evans: “Well we are literally tracking data daily looking at what we’re doing but also our long term plan of prevention, intervention and suppression. So I think we’re starting to see some success here.”

The mayor was cautious and said there is a long way to go.

One of the tactics RPD is using is targeting known gun offenders. When they arrest someone with a gun who has prior felonies, or illegal drugs, or is committing another crime, they call the ATF which runs a background check on the gun. When they find the gun was made outside New York it becomes a federal case and all but one of the defendants is still in custody.

Brean: “Part of the new effort includes getting the ATF involved and making some of those federal cases.”

Mayor Evans: “I think working with all of our partners is absolutely key.”