On a summer afternoon in Rochester, New York, a dispute outside a home on Lorenzo Street turned deadly, ending the life of 32-year-old Jeremy Prescott. On July 9, 2024, around 1:45 p.m., an altercation that began outside Prescott's residence moved onto his front porch. The fight culminated in gunfire, and Prescott, a Black man, was struck by at least one bullet in his upper body. When first responders arrived, they found him on his porch, but it was too late.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Rochester Police Department launched a homicide investigation. "It's certainly frustrating when somebody solves an argument or an altercation with a gun," said Police Captain Greg Bello. "There's a million different ways to solve an argument without a gun and without taking a life." Investigators soon identified a suspect, 34-year-old Kendrick Morrison-Cook. Two days after the shooting, members of the RPD’s Tactical Unit and SWAT team saw Morrison-Cook entering a vehicle on the city's west side and took him into custody without incident.
Morrison-Cook was charged with second-degree murder. He was arraigned in Rochester City Court on July 12, 2024, as Prescott's heartbroken loved ones looked on. Morrison-Cook pleaded not guilty to the charge and was ordered to be held without bail in the Monroe County Jail.
The case proceeded toward a trial, but as Kendrick Morrison-Cook’s bench trial was getting underway, the prosecution faced a significant setback. A key witness to the murder could not be found to testify. According to the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, exhaustive efforts were made to locate the witness, but they were unsuccessful. Consequently, in June 2025, the indictment was dismissed, and all charges against Morrison-Cook were dropped. Jeremy Prescott's murder remains unsolved. Police have asked that anyone with information call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 423-9300.
