A Rochester teenager has pleaded not guilty to charges of second degree attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Sixteen-year-old Ernestiaze Moore was arraigned in City Court today for allegedly firing a shot at a Rochester police officer who was approaching him on Santee Street. The shot missed, and instead of firing back at Moore, Officer Kelly Phillips gave chase. Moore was arrested by other officers a short time later near Dewey Avenue and Emerson Street.
According to the criminal complaint filed with the court, Moore admitted to investigating officers that he had a handgun and fired in the officer’s direction to keep from going to jail. He’s being held on $100,000 bail and is due back in court on Friday for a preliminary hearing.
Police recovered a handgun nearby, but haven’t determined for sure that it’s the gun used in the incident.
Officer Phillips was in that area of Northwest Rochester investigating a report of shots fired at about 1:40 Sunday afternoon when she spotted Moore on the street and moved to talk with him.