A fatal stabbing outside a gas station in Rochester has left residents uneasy and renewed concerns about safety in the Clifford and Portland avenues area.
SUPPORT THE FAMILY - GOD BLESS YOU
Police said 32-year-old Antonio McKnight, of Rochester, is back in custody after fatally stabbing 59-year-old Laverne Singletary during an argument in the gas station parking lot early Monday morning. Officers responded around 5:45 a.m. and found Singletary with a stab wound to the chest. He was rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he later died.
An anonymous woman who stopped by the gas station the following morning said she was stunned by the violence.
“I take my daughter to these stores all the time. It’s very uncomfortable to know that those things are happening,” she said.
Court records show McKnight has a violent criminal history. In 2019, he was convicted of assault after stabbing a man six times outside the RTS Transit Center on North Clinton Avenue. That victim survived with serious injuries, including a collapsed lung.
Investigators confirmed McKnight, who is homeless, had been living behind the gas station where Monday’s deadly encounter took place.
Local residents and business owners say the incident underscores ongoing safety concerns in the community.
“I can’t wait to be in a safer area and be able to go outside and not worry about things like that,” the same woman added. “It happens everywhere, but it’s a little extra around here.”
McKnight was arraigned Monday on a charge of second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.