Crime
Former Fall River man convicted on 26 charges in killing of police officer, two others
Rochester, NY- On October 13, 2023, 22-year-old Kelvin Vickers, who was living in Fall River, MA before going to prison on a 2019 charge, was convicted by a Monroe County jury Friday of Aggravated Murder of a Police Officer, Murder in the 2nd Degree, Attempted Aggravated Murder of a Police Officer, two counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the 2nd Degree, four counts of Murder in the 1st Degree, Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree, fourteen counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree and Arson in the 4th Degree. Kelvin Vickers was convicted of the charges for the murder of Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, the attempted murder of Rochester Police Officer Sino Seng, the murders of Richard Collinge and MyJel Rand, and various other felony acts committed between July 19 and July 21, 2022.
Over the course of four weeks, the jury heard evidence of the activity of Kelvin Vickers on July 19, July 20, and July 21, 2022. On the night of July 19, 2022, Rochester Police Officers arrived near North Clinton Avenue and Rauber Street for multiple gun shots in the area, including those that hit a house and vehicle.
Later that night, on July 20, 2022, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Richard Collinge, MyJel Rand, and Tireek Burden were gunned down in the City of Rochester in the same area near North Clinton Avenue and Rauber Street. Following the gunshots, Rochester Police Officers arrived on scene, where Richard Collinge was pronounced dead. MyJel Rand and the Tireek Burden were immediately transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, where MyJel died from his gunshot wounds. Tireek Burden survived his gunshot injuries.
Later in the early morning hours, a fire on Weyl Street in the City of Rochester was reported. A car was engulfed in flames, which began spreading to a nearby house. The Rochester Fire Department responded and put out the fire.
July 21, 2022, was the last night Rochester Police Officer Mazurkiewicz was alive and well. He, along with Rochester Police Officer Sino Seng, were undercover, staking out the area following the previous violent 48 hours. After driving by Laser Street multiple times, Kelvin Vickers was watching the van. The officers parked on Bauman Street, when Kelvin Vickers discreetly exited the porch on 55 Laser Street, ambushed and shot multiple rounds at Officer Mazurkiewicz and Officer Seng.
Rochester Police Officers, alongside other law enforcement agencies, immediately responded to the scene. Both men were rushed to nearby hospitals. Officer Seng recovered following immediate treatment at Rochester General Hospital. Following life saving measures at Strong Memorial Hospital, Officer Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz died from the gunshot wounds.
Immediately following the shooting, Rochester Police Officers secured the scene. Kelvin Vickers was located, and his DNA was found on the illegally possessed weapon responsible for killing Officer Mazurkiewicz. He was arrested for the murder.
As the investigation continued, the evidence showed that Kelvin Vickers was also responsible for the shooting on July 19, 2022, the murders of Richard Collinge, MyJel Rand on July 20, 2022, and attempted murder of the third victim, and were also responsible for the arson of the vehicle that same day. He was charged for the murders and surrounding events.
The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Sandra Doorley and First Assistant District Attorney Perry Duckles.
“Over 72 hours, Kelvin Vickers caused chaos and mayhem in the City of Rochester, ending his crime spree with the murder of Officer Mazurkiewicz and attempted murder of Officer Sino Seng,” said Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley. “The Rochester Police Department lost a brother. Lynn Mazurkiewicz lost the love of her life. Tony’s children, family, and friends lost a wonderful person at the hands of Kelvin Vickers. Kelvin Vickers left destruction in his wake, violently taking the lives of MyJel Rand and Richard Collinge as well. There is only one course under law that is appropriate for Kelvin Vickers. That would be for him to spend the rest of his life in the New York State Department of Corrections.”
“Often times we forget about the service and sacrifice of police officers, until tragedy strikes,” said First Assistant District Attorney Perry Duckles. “Officer Mazurkiewicz paid the ultimate price protecting our community. I am pleased that the jury came back with a verdict that will result in a life sentence. Kelvin Vickers is a hardened criminal who does not value the life of anyone. I sincerely hope that Officer Seng, the families of Officer Mazurkiewicz, Richard Collinge, and MyJel Rand can feel justice for their loved ones.”
Vickers criminal history includes juvenile contacts for Assault and Battery on an Officer at the age of 12, burglary related offenses, strangulation with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, and two separate possession of firearms offenses. As an adult, Vickers has been convicted of possessing an unlicensed firearm.
Vickers was arrested by Fall River Police on gun charges in 2019 and, according to NBC Rochester, had recently been released from prison on those charges before the murders took place.
Vickers is facing 65 years to life in prison on charges related to the shooting of Mazurkiewicz and Seng, according to Dooley. He could face life in prison without parole for the deaths of Collinge and Rand.
Vickers will be sentenced on December 7, 2023, in front of Monroe County Court Judge Julie Hahn.
Fed Up
October 13, 2023 at 8:40 pm
And there is the f*cking problem in a nutshell ” had been released from prison of those charges before the murders took place ” He was in prison bullsh*t DA’s and judges let him walk and people died because of it. This cycle will NOT end until these soft-on-crime policies are eliminated and every DA , judge and politician that supports them are removed. They are ALL complicit in this mayhem.
BWO
October 14, 2023 at 6:34 am
We should make his former Fall River home into a bed and breakfast. This could boost tourism.