Police arrest suspect in North Street murder outside S & T Lounge

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Police department has arrested a suspect in the murder on North Street on July 16.

Officers heard gunshots ring out from the area of the S & T Lounge at 1:45 a.m. When officers arrived, the found 40-year-old Ervin Wiggins dead in the street from gunshot wounds.

A second victim, 45-year-old Porter Mizell, was found in the parking lot at the northeast corner of North and Weld streets. Mizell was pronounced dead after being brought to Strong Memorial Hospital.

During the investigation, police say they learned that Wiggins fired multiple shots from the middle of North Street at Mizell. Police believe Wiggins shot Mizell over a fight about a woman.

Police explain after Wiggins shot Mizell, they believe 42-year-old Dennis Speed then shot Wiggins with an illegally-possessed 9mm handgun. Officials say Speed is not allowed to have a firearm in New York because of previous criminal convictions for assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and willful obstruction of law enforcement and battery.

On August 11, Dennis Speed was seen in Rochester by the United States Marshal’s Violent Felony Fugitive Task Force and taken into custody.

Speed has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and arraigned in Rochester City Court on Saturday morning. His next court date is scheduled on August 17.

The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office will be presenting the facts gathered pertaining to the circumstances in which Dennis Speed shot and killed Ervin Wiggins to a Monroe County Grand Jury, to ascertain whether additional charges are warranted