On the night of November 12, 2022, Terry J. Howard Jr., a 27-year-old Black man, was the victim of a fatal shooting in Rochester, New York. The incident, described by authorities as a 'targeted ambush killing,' unfolded just before 10:30 p.m. as Howard sat in the front passenger seat of a vehicle that had just pulled into a driveway on Norton Street.
He was struck by multiple bullets in an attack that was carried out in the presence of his wife and two young children, aged 7 and 8, who were also in the vehicle but were unharmed. The driver of the vehicle rushed Howard to Rochester General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The Rochester Police Department's investigation swiftly led to the identification and arrest of two suspects, Jerrod Dozier and Jessica Maynard. Investigators determined that the pair had surveilled Howard before ambushing him. Dozier and Maynard were apprehended just two days after the shooting following a vehicle pursuit involving a stolen car, which led to additional charges related to possession of stolen property. Both were charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Howard's death.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Jerrod Dozier, who was identified as the shooter, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. On November 22, 2023, he accepted a plea deal and was subsequently sentenced to 22 years in prison, to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. Prosecutors emphasized the premeditated nature of the crime, stating that Dozier had planned the killing and put Howard's entire family at risk. Jessica Maynard was also charged and arraigned for her role in the incident, though specific details regarding the outcome of her case were not as readily available.
