ROCHESTER, NY – A tragic incident marred the festive spirit of New Year’s celebrations in Rochester, New York, as a man drove his explosive-laden vehicle into a crowd just after a rock concert, resulting in two fatalities and several injuries early on New Year’s Day.

The chaos unfolded around 12:50 a.m. outside the Kodak Center, where the band moe. had just concluded a show attended by approximately a thousand people. As attendees were leaving, a rented Ford Expedition driven by Michael Avery from Syracuse accelerated into the dispersing crowd and collided with an Uber and other vehicles near the venue, according to Police Chief David Smith.

Witnesses described a fierce explosion and fire that enveloped the vehicles involved, claiming the lives of an unsuspecting couple in the Uber and leaving the driver and three pedestrians with varying degrees of injuries. One pedestrian remains in critical condition.

Avery, suspected of having bipolar disorder but without a formal diagnosis, later succumbed to his life-threatening wounds. Inside the rented SUV, investigators discovered gasoline canisters and believe Avery had suicidal intentions, a suspicion reinforced by a note and journal found in his hotel room.

The Rochester Police Department, in collaboration with other agencies, is taking steps to thoroughly investigate Avery’s background, including a potential search of a storage unit he owned in Syracuse. However, authorities were quick to dispel any links to terrorism, pointing to the incident as a tragic act by an individual with mental health issues.

Mayor Malik Evans expressed the collective heartbreak over the shocking event. “We entered 2023 with anticipation, but instead, we face the somber reality of lives lost and families forever altered,” he shared.

The band moe., hailing from Buffalo and having performed two nights consecutively at the Kodak Center, conveyed profound shock and sorrow over the tragedy. They implored the community to support one another during this trying time, contrasting the intended celebration with the grave loss experienced.

As Rochester faces the aftermath of the New Year’s Day horror, the community comes together in grief while law enforcement continues to piece together the motivations behind this devastating incident.