The FBI has launched an investigation after a car containing numerous gas canisters “intentionally” ploughed into another vehicle and a crowd outside a New Year’s Eve concert in upstate New York, killing two and wounding several more.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith confirmed in a news briefing on Tuesday that 35-year-old Michael Avery, from Syracuse, rented an SUV and bought up a stash of gasoline canisters in the days leading up to the attack.
In the early hours of Monday morning, he then drove to the Kodak Center in Rochester and accelerated towards a crowd of people as they left a rock concert at the venue.
Two victims were killed, while Avery was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. He died on Monday night.
The police chief said that Avery was still in the process of being scientifically identified, but that authorities had been in contact with his family.
The 35-year-old is thought to have been suffering from mental health issues at the time though the motive remains unclear.
Concertgoers who had just rung in the New Year were pouring out onto the crosswalk outside the Kodak Center at around 12.50am ET, police said.
Police officers had already been assigned to monitor the crowd of about 1,000 people and were assisting pedestrians at the crosswalk, Chief Smith said.
The Mitsubishi Outlander – an Uber – was exiting a parking lot at the time when the Ford Expedition SUV crashed into it.
The other vehicles involved were also left destroyed in the crash— (WHAM)
Chief Smith said that it appeared Avery had “sped up”, crossed into oncoming traffic and then “intentionally” drove into the pedestrian crossing, causing the fiery crash.
Two people riding in the Mitsubishi were killed while at least nine pedestrians were also injured as the vehicles went on to ram crowds at the crossing, before crashing into two other vehicles
At least one victim has been left with “life-altering” injuries. Chief Smith said that all others should make a full recovery.
The police chief added that numerous pedestrians, as well as a Rochester police officer, also came very close to being caught in the fatal collision.
The crash caused a huge blaze that took firefighters almost one hour to extinguish, Chief Smith said.
Once the fire was contained and put out, first responders at the scene found an unusual amount of gasoline canisters in and around the striking vehicle.
In total, police said there were at least half a dozen gasoline canisters found lying on the street and in the vehicle.
On Tuesday, Chief Smith confirmed that Avery had bought these gasoline products from various stores in the Ontario area on 30 December.
It is believed he made these purchases alone and that no one else was involved.
Due to the “danger level” associated with the canisters, Chief Smith said the police department’s bomb squad and the joint arson task force responded to the scene.
Gas canisters were found in and around the SUV— (WHAM)
Investigators are now working to identify what led Avery to carry out the attack, revealing that there is no indication of it being terrorism-related.
Police have begun piecing together a timeline of his movements prior to the incident.
Avery traveled to New York on 27 December and checked into a hotel, the police chief said.
Two days later, he allegedly drove his personal vehicle to Rochester airport, where he left it and switched into the rental SUV.
The next day – 30 December – he made half a dozen purchases of gasoline canisters.
Searches of his hotel room and vehicle have not turned up any motive, the police chief said.
No journal or suicide note was recovered from the room, he said – after initial reports claimed that both had been found.
The police chief also confirmed that there was no evidence of motivations of political or social biases playing a part in what happened.
“Nothing so far recovered provides any insight into what occurred,” he said.
Chief Smith did mention, however, that after interviewing his family, it is thought that Avery could have been suffering from possible undiagnosed mental health issues.
Two people have been confirmed dead, while two others remain in life-threatening conditions.— (WHAM)
The Rochester Police Department and the FBI – including the Joint Terrorism Task Force – are continuing to investigate the incident.
Footage captured by local news outlet WHAM in the immediate aftermath showed the SUV completely burnt out, with all its windows missing, the trunk completely destroyed and the whole front of the vehicle in ruin.
Debris from the crash and red gas canisters were also seen littering the street outside the Kodak Centre, with the whole area cornered off by police for investigation.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans offered his condolences to the devastated families and urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward to authorities.
“I would have been liking to stand at this podium to deliver ‘Happy New Year’ and smile and say good news, but unfortunately, today we don’t have [good] news,” Mr Evans said at the conference.
“We have several individuals whose family’s lives have changed because they will not be here to bring in 2024”
The band, moe., which was performing at the Kodak Center that night, said they were in “profound shock and sadness” after the incident.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with those who were injured,” they said in a statement.
