Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and Police Chief Mike Ciminelli announced late Thursday afternoon that because of an arrest of a man accused of plotting an attack Thursday night, that arrest they would cancel the annual New Year’s Eve downtown fireworks display. 25 year old Emanuel Lutchman is accused of trying to provide support to terrorists, and help ISIS (also known as ISIL) kill innocent civilians on New Year's Eve at a restaurant-bar in the Rochester area.
Officials say that is not due to any specific threats, but by doing that it will give police a chance to beef up security in other areas, in what is usually a busy night for them anyway.
Other downtown New Year's activities downtown went on as usual, including activities at the convention center and skating at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Warren says we have to realize that in today’s day and age, any place could be a target, and she and Ciminelli asked people to always look after their friends and relatives, and to report any suspicious activity to police.
Ciminelli complimented federal authorities for their work on this case, and he says they did keep informed through every step of the ongoing investigation.
Warren says she also reached out to local bar owners about the additional security steps the city was taking on New Year’s Eve.
