3rd victim dies in fiery New Year’s car attack near concert venue

13/01/2024

A third person has died in the fiery crash [1] outside a concert venue in upstate New York early New Year’s Day, authorities announced on Friday.

Dawn Revette, 54, died on Wednesday from injuries sustained after she was struck by a vehicle while in the crosswalk outside the Kodak Center in Rochester, police said.

Two people in a ride-sharing car were killed after a rented Ford Expedition driven by the suspect slammed into it and burst into flames as it sped in the direction of pedestrians in the crosswalk, police said.

The suspect — 35-year-old Michael Avery — also died.

Multiple pedestrians and first responders were injured, police said. One victim remains in an inpatient treatment facility with non-life-threatening injuries while the rest have since been released from the hospital, Rochester Police Chief David Smith said Friday.

The incident occurred as concertgoers were leaving the venue. Multiple canisters full of gasoline were found in Avery’s vehicle, police said.

A Glock-style replica handgun and several lighters were also found, Smith said.

The suspect appears to have intentionally been driving toward the pedestrian crossing and sped up as he approached it, police said.

Amid the ongoing investigation, law enforcement has been unable to identify any possible motive, Smith said Friday. There are no links to political, racial or any other extremist ideologies associated with Avery, the chief said.

The suspect’s family did not see any immediate red flags in December, he said. Investigators found a years-old, 20-page journal of Avery’s but it did not appear to contain any writings related to the incident, Smith said.

Investigators have learned Avery had worked as a traveling delivery driver and had come to Rochester at least twice in December prior to the attack, Smith said.

After checking into a Rochester hotel on Dec.

27, he spent the next several days purchasing gas cans and filling them in the region, Smith said.

The suspect also spent several hours in the area of the Kodak Theater the day of the incident, “potentially scouting the location,” and had even purchased a ticket to that evening’s concert but never used it, Smith said.

“Instead, Avery spent time around the theater, including nearby parking lots, until commencing his attack,” Smith said.

Authorities have not identified any co-conspirators in the attack.

The two victims killed were previously identified as Justina Hughes, 28, of Geneva, and Joshua Orr, 29, of Webster.

Authorities urged anyone who was outside the venue the night of the concert to contact police.

“We may never know why he decided to carry out his act,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said during Friday’s press briefing. “But what we should do is try to keep the memories of Dawn, Justina and Josh alive.”

References

^ fiery crash (abcnews.go.com)