Police said the Avery Street residence had been burglarized at least twice since June before Monday’s deadly encounter.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — At least two burglaries had been reported at an Avery Street home before its owner fatally shot a man who entered the residence early Monday, according to Rochester police, who are examining the shooting and the pattern of recent break-ins.
The previous incidents have become part of the background to a Major Crimes Unit investigation that began shortly after 4:30 a.m. Aug. 3. Police said a neighbor first called 911 after hearing gunfire. The homeowner then called and reported that he had shot someone who broke into the house.
Officers found the man in the kitchen and pronounced him dead at the scene. Police said he had entered through the rear of the residence and did not know the homeowner. His identity had not been released as of Tuesday.
Capt. Frank Umbrino of the Rochester Police Department said the homeowner had been the victim of several burglaries over the previous weeks. Other residents also told police about recent break-ins in the area, he said, though authorities had not released figures showing how many incidents were reported or whether they were connected.
Police separately said the Avery Street residence had been burglarized at least twice since June. Investigators had not linked the man killed Monday to those earlier crimes, and officials had not disclosed whether detectives believed one person or several people were responsible for the neighborhood incidents.
The dead man was on parole for a previous burglary conviction, police said. Authorities did not immediately provide his name, the jurisdiction of that conviction or the conditions of his parole. His criminal history alone does not establish responsibility for any other unsolved break-in.
Police said the homeowner held a valid New York state pistol permit and fired a legally owned and registered handgun. He cooperated with investigators after the shooting. Umbrino said the shooting appeared justified based on the initial evidence, but the department continued to investigate the circumstances.
Officials had not released a full sequence of what happened after the man entered the house. It remained unclear whether words were exchanged, how far the man moved through the residence or whether investigators recovered additional evidence that could clarify the encounter.
The police response temporarily closed part of Avery Street near Emerson Street as officers processed the scene. No injuries to the homeowner or other occupants were announced, and police did not report that any additional suspects were being sought in connection with Monday’s entry.
The investigation remains active. Police had not announced charges against the homeowner, and they had not said when the dead man’s identity or further findings about the earlier burglaries would be released.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 4, 2026.