Massive Car Explosion Kills 3 Outside Concert

(Scypre.com) – Three individuals lost their lives, and multiple others sustained injuries in a vehicular explosion occurring within the first hour of 2024.

Around 12:50 a.m. on January 1, a Ford Expedition, laden with at least a dozen gas canisters, collided with a Mitsubishi Outlander near the Kodak Theater in Rochester, New York, as concertgoers exited the venue. The driver, identified as 35-year-old Michael Avery from the Syracuse area, succumbed to injuries in the hospital on the previous night, as revealed by Rochester Police Chief David Smith in a press conference on Tuesday.

Authorities learned from Avery’s family that he may have been grappling with undiagnosed mental health issues, though no journals or suicide note were discovered. The collision, resulting in a fiery inferno in a nearby parking lot, engaged firefighters for approximately an hour.

Tragically, both occupants of the Outlander perished at the scene, while Avery passed away in the hospital. The remaining victims were promptly transported to a hospital, with one of them facing life-threatening injuries, according to Chief Smith.

Avery, who resided about 1.5 hours away in Syracuse, had been staying at a Rochester hotel. The motive behind his deliberate targeting of pedestrians and ramming another vehicle with numerous gas canisters remains unclear and forms a complex web of questions under ongoing investigation.

Addressing the multitude of queries, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans stated, “There are lots of questions. I have lots of questions. Everyone up here still has lots of questions.” He emphasized the ongoing nature of the investigation and pledged to provide updates as available.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force was involved, adhering to protocol, although both the FBI and the police chief asserted that the incident did not appear to be a terrorist attack or driven by radicalized ideology. Jeremy Bell of the FBI clarified that their presence was standard and highlighted the absence of evidence linking the incident to terrorism.

The police chief provided a timeline of events leading up to the fatal crash:

  • December 27: Avery traveled to Rochester, checked into WoodSpring Suites, approximately five miles from the crash site, using his personal vehicle.
  • December 29: Avery rented a Ford Expedition from the Rochester airport.
  • December 30: Avery purchased gasoline in gas containers from various locations in Monroe and Ontario counties between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. He seemed to be alone during each purchase.
  • January 1: Avery accelerated, crossed into oncoming traffic, and appeared to intentionally drive towards a pedestrian crossing, colliding with an Uber driver exiting a parking spot during the rock band moe.’s concert exit.

The band expressed deep shock and sadness at the tragic events outside the Kodak Center, conveying condolences to the families of the deceased and thoughts for the injured.