Andre Cleveland was driving out of a parking lot on East Main Street in Rochester early Saturday morning when gunfire changed everything. The 32-year-old was shot around 12:45 a.m. on Sept. 12 near Indiana Street, close to East High School.
Cleveland was inside his vehicle as he left the parking lot at 1899 E. Main St. Police said someone opened fire as he was driving out. He survived the shooting at first, but his injuries were critical.

Four days later, on Sept. 16, Cleveland died from those injuries, Rochester police said. What began as a late-night shooting investigation had become a homicide investigation.
Police have also said Cleveland does not appear to have been the person the shooter was after. Detectives do not believe he was the intended target, according to Rochester police Capt. Frank Umbrino.
That detail has added another layer to a case that is still being pieced together. Investigators are working to determine what happened before the shooting, who fired the shots and why Cleveland was caught in the middle of it.
No suspect has been taken into custody, and no charges have been filed in connection with Cleveland’s death. The Rochester Police Department’s Major Crimes Homicide Unit is continuing to investigate.
Investigators are asking anyone who saw something that night or has video that could help identify what happened to come forward. Police are especially interested in footage that may have captured the shooting or the moments before and after it.
Tips can be reported to 911, the Rochester Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit at (585) 428-7157, or Crime Stoppers at (585) 423-9300. Information can also be sent by email to MajorCrimes@cityofrochester.gov.
Cleveland’s death has left his family and those who knew him dealing with a loss that came just days after the shooting. For investigators, the focus now remains on finding the person responsible and establishing exactly what happened outside the East Main Street parking lot that morning.




