ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Two teens are accused of trying to kill someone on Magnolia Street earlier this year. The shooting happened on Sunday, Jan. 21 around dinner time, near Manila Street, near Genesee Street.

The victim, a 36-year-old man, told police he was walking to a corner store when approached by the two boys. After a “short discussion,” multiple shots were fired at him, hitting him at least once in the lower body.

Both teens have been charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Police said the victim’s injury was considered life-threatening at the time, but medical staff at Strong Memorial Hospital were able to save him.

Capt. Greg Bello described the injuries as “life-altering.”

“Assault in the first degree requires serious physical injury, or an injury that is life-altering for somebody,” said Bello. “In this case, that’s definitely what this victim is suffering from.”

Bello declined to go into detail about what the argument was about. But police believe the victim and the two teens had no relation, other than possibly knowing each other in the neighborhood.

On March 1, RPD’s Tactical Unit took the 16-year-old into custody on Flint Street on March 1. The 13-year-old turned himself in, accompanied by his mom, at the Public Safety Building on April 10.

Bello said apprehending teens — who are believed to be armed — is not always easy.

“Especially juveniles that have shot somebody. Teenagers are not always the best decision-makers. It’s a dangerous process to track them down. So, in this case, for both 13 and 16-year-olds, we were able to safely take them into custody,” he said. “Myself, having a 14-year-old, it really hits home, you know, knowing where your kids are, knowing what your kids are doing out there, and making sure your kids are going to school, going to the rec center.”

The two teens are both in the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center.

“There is crime in that section of the city, we do have some shootings, it is one of the more violent sections of the city,” he said.

Bello added, a fairly new taskforce that focuses on non-fatal shootings, helped make the arrests. He said often times, non-fatal shootings are harder to solve than homicides.

“There’s things out there for your kids to be doing. Just knowing what your kids are doing. Because in this case, 13 and 16-year-olds are the suspects. They’re the ones that committed the crime, but at the same time, we also have 13 and 16-year-olds becoming victims,” he said.