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Police identify victims of recent killings in Troy and Schenectady
Two more young men were gunned down in a two-day period in area cities./
In what’s become a sadly familiar scenario over the past year, two more young men were gunned down in a two-day period in cities bracketing the Capital Region.
In Troy, gunfire Thursday night claimed the life of 17-yearold Tamari Rodriguez at the Glen and 7th Avenue neighborhood of Troy, the scene of multiple shootings.
Police were called to the area around 11:10 p.m. Thursday for a report of shots fired, and found a person on the ground who appeared to have an injury to his head caused by a gunshot, DEWolf said. The victim, later identified as Rodriguez, was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital in critical condition. Police were notified late Friday of his death, Dewolf said.
Police said a dark-colored sedan was reportedly seen in the area, but it is unclear if it was involved in the incident.
In Schenectady, a 22-year-old Albany man died after being shot — apparently multiple times — in the 1100 block of State Street, Schenectady police said Saturday.
Police said they got reports of shots fired just before 8 p.m.
Friday and rushed to the area of State Street and Kelton Avenue.
The first responding officers located a man with gunshot wounds and he was treated by medics from the Schenectady Fire Department before being taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police identified the victim as Elnahcere S. Vincent, who is the fifth homicide victim in Schenectady this year. Both Albany and Troy have had more than a dozen homicides in 2020. Little could be learned Saturday about the latest victims.
In Troy on Saturday afternoon, at the 7th and Glen Avenue corner, the location of three homicides and two separate shooting incidents this year, was mostly quiet. On all four stop signs at the corner, there were spray-painted messages pleading for the violence at this intersection to end.
Underneath one stop sign in black spray paint: “STOP shooting fight.”
On the three other traffic signs: “STOP killing” “STOP shooting” “STOP killing.”
Beside the corner market, Stop and Shop Deli, were two white candles and the following words scrawled in white chalk: “RIP TAMARI WE LOVE YOU.”
One woman, who asked that her name not be used, said she knew Tamari and he was a good kid.
A vigil from the last homicide that happened here on Aug. 29 was still outside a gray house. The balloons were deflated, some melted candle wax was spilled on the pavement. And as each car stopped on one of the corner’s stop signs, riders saw words that echo in this community: “shooting” ... “killing.”
Both investigations are continuing.
Anyone with information about the Troy killing is asked to call city detectives at 518270-4426.
If anyone has any information about the Schenectady incident, they can contact the Police Department TIPS line at 518-788-6566.