Western New York Police Had Very Busy Holiday Weekend

Normally, a holiday weekend is filled with all sorts of fun and family-friendly activities that keep people busy from Friday to Monday. That, like other holiday weekends, was in full effect for the 4th of July weekend this year, but there was also a fair amount of other activities that were keeping police agencies busy all over Western New York.

From corralling street takeovers to investigating shootings and water boat rescues, police agencies in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester had their hands full all weekend.

Niagara Falls Police Dealing With Two Killings From Holiday Weekend

According to reports from WKBW-TV, the City of Niagara Falls is dealing with a rare shooting incident that has left two people dead and at least one additional person injured from gunfire.

The early morning hours on Sunday, July 5, 2026, saw officers near the intersection of Fairfield Avenue and Highland Avenue in Niagara Falls, where they found a large party and reports of at least three people being shot. One person was found dead at the scene, and another person was taken in a private car to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, where they later died from their wounds.

Rochester Saw Multiple Shootings and Stabbings Over Holiday Weekend

A weekend of extreme violence in the Flower City has the Mayor of Rochester exploring instituting a curfew in Rochester. According to WHEC-TV, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans is seeking ideas to stop what happened this past weekend from happening again.

READ MORE: Stats Say Crime Is Down, But It Doesn’t Feel Like It

The late-night hour on the 4th of July found RPD officers investigating two different shooting incidents that left at least 7 people shot and another stabbed near downtown Rochester. There were reports of shots fired on East Ave., East Broad Street, Alexander Street, and others as Saturday, July 4th, transitioned into Sunday, July 5th.

Buffalo Neighborhoods Reeling After More Than 10 Shot

If there wasn't enough going on this weekend, Buffalo Police had their hands full as multiple shooting calls came in from different parts of the city, as at least 12 people suffered gunshot wounds during the early morning hours after 4th of July festivities.

According to a press conference held at Buffalo Police Headquarters on July 6th, several of those shootings are tied to a block party on Delavan Ave that got out of control:

Four people were shot on Stevens Ave, including a 13-year-old girl. Three people were shot on Glenwood Ave, and one person each was shot on Moselle Street, Humber Ave, and near the corner of Norfolk and East Delavan Ave.

The Community Is Searching For Answers

While overall crime is down year-over-year, the community is searching for answers, as there is still a lot of summer left and things will get worse if we as a society don't do something.

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