On the evening of July 21, 2022, a veteran Rochester police officer's life was cut short in what authorities described as a cowardly ambush. Anthony Mazurkiewicz, a 54-year-old male and a 29-year veteran of the Rochester Police Department, was conducting surveillance in an unmarked vehicle on Bauman Street as part of a murder investigation. He and his partner, Officer Sino Seng, were sitting in their van when a man approached from behind and opened fire, unleashing approximately 17 rounds into
the vehicle. Mazurkiewicz was struck in the upper body and rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries.
The attack also wounded Officer Seng, who was shot in the lower body but survived after being treated and released from Rochester General Hospital. A stray bullet from the barrage pierced the wall of a nearby home, grazing a 15-year-old girl. The shooting happened on the same day that Rochester's mayor had declared a state of emergency due to escalating gun violence in the city. The loss of Officer Mazurkiewicz, a husband, father of four, and grandfather of three, sent shockwaves through the community and his department, where he was remembered as a dedicated and decorated officer.
Within an hour of the shooting, police located and arrested a suspect hiding in the crawl space of a vacant house near the scene. The man was identified as 21-year-old Kelvin Vickers from Boston. Investigators found a loaded 9mm handgun that was later determined to be the weapon used in the attack. The investigation revealed that Vickers was responsible for a wider crime spree. In the days leading up to the attack on the officers, he had shot and killed two other men, Richard Collinge and MyJel Rand.
Kelvin Vickers was charged with a multitude of crimes, including aggravated murder of a police officer, attempted aggravated murder, and the murders of Collinge and Rand. His trial took place in the fall of 2023. After a four-week trial, a jury found Vickers guilty on all 26 counts against him. Prosecutors highlighted his remorseless demeanor throughout the proceedings. Ultimately, a judge sentenced Kelvin Vickers to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would spend the rest of his life behind bars for the violent path of destruction that ended the life of Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz and two other men.
