In the early hours of July 20, 2022, the life of 19-year-old Richard Collinge was tragically cut short in a hail of gunfire on North Clinton Avenue in Rochester, New York. The male teenager was with two other individuals, MyJel Rand and Tireek Burden, near the intersection of Rauber Street at approximately 12:30 AM when they were ambushed. When Rochester Police officers arrived at the scene, they found Collinge deceased.
Rand was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, while Burden survived the attack.
The shooting was not a random act of violence but rather part of a violent crime spree that had begun the previous night. The investigation into the murders of Collinge and Rand quickly uncovered a web of criminal activity that included a car fire on Weyl Street, which was determined to be arson. This series of events also tragically led to the murder of Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, who was killed in the line of duty during the investigation.
Three men were ultimately identified and charged in connection with the wave of violence. Raheim Robinson, Deadrick Fulwiley, and Kelvin Vickers were all implicated in the murders of Collinge and Rand. The subsequent legal proceedings revealed the depth of their involvement. Deadrick Fulwiley pleaded guilty to his role in the killings and received a sentence of 30 years to life in prison. Raheim Robinson was found guilty by a jury on numerous charges, including four counts of Murder in the 1st Degree, and was also facing a lengthy prison sentence.
Kelvin Vickers was also convicted for the murders of both Richard Collinge and MyJel Rand, in addition to the murder of Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz. For his crimes, Vickers was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The convictions brought a measure of justice to the families of the victims who had been devastated by the senseless violence that unfolded over those two summer days.
