UPDATE: Rochester police Chief David Smith has confirmed the name of the now-deceased driver who caused the fiery crash shortly after midnight on New Year's Day.
The man was 35-year-old Michael Avery of the Syracuse area.
He died last night.
He was driving a Ford Expedition he rented Friday at the Rochester airport, and was carrying a dozen gas cans he filled during stops at at least six area gas stations.
But Smith says a search at Avery's hotel room did NOT turn up a suicide note or journal as reported by The New York Post.
Two passengers were killed in an Uber car when it was hit by Avery's SUV when he was speeding toward pedestrians leaving a concert at the Kodak Center.
In all, nine pedestrians were hurt, including one, who Smith says, has life-altering injuries.
It's not clear why Avery came to Rochester last week, why he was staying at the Woodspring Suites in Greece, or why he chose the concert venue as a target.
Smith says the family believes Avery had an undiagnosed mental illness.
Original story:
Two people were killed and three others injured in a crash just outside the Kodak Center on West Ridge Road early New Year’s morning.
Rochester police say an SUV heading east on Ridge hit another SUV that was pulling out of the Kodak Center parking lot following a concert. The crash killed the two people in that second SUV instantly. The cars swung across the road, hitting three pedestrians and narrowly missing a police officer.
The driver of the SUV that caused the crash is in critical condition at Strong Memorial Hospital as is one of the three pedestrians. The other two pedestrians suffered lesser injuries.
Ridge Road remained closed as of late morning for the investigation.