In the early morning hours of December 2, 2023, the sounds of gunfire pierced the quiet of a Rochester, New York neighborhood. Just before 1 a.m., officers from the Rochester Police Department were dispatched to Glenwood Avenue, near Finch Street, following a ShotSpotter activation and reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered a young man, 23-year-old Ziheir Roberts, suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. He was a Black male.
Emergency services rushed him to Strong Memorial Hospital, but his injury proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The investigation into the death of Ziheir Roberts spanned several months as detectives worked to piece together the events of that tragic night. Authorities eventually identified 26-year-old Dante Weiford as the primary suspect in the case. Investigators determined that Roberts and Weiford were acquainted and had been involved in an argument that escalated to a fatal confrontation. It is alleged that during this dispute, Weiford shot Roberts in the stomach at close range.
On April 9, 2024, the investigation culminated in an arrest. U.S. Marshals, in conjunction with the Rochester Police Department, apprehended Dante Weiford during a traffic stop. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for his alleged role in the death of Ziheir Roberts. Following his arrest, Weiford was arraigned and remanded to the Monroe County Jail.
