Nathan Bernard

On the evening of April 29, 2020, Nathan L. Bernard was standing with a group of people on a sidewalk in Rochester, New York. Mr. Bernard, a 32-year-old Black man, was near 197 Genesee St. at approximately 7:45 p.m. when a man approached and fired multiple rounds from a handgun. Police later stated their belief that Mr. Bernard was the intended target of the attack.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found Mr. Bernard on the ground, unconscious and bleeding. He was rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. In the wake of the shooting, the person responsible remained at large, and for years, the case went unsolved.

For more than four years, the investigation into Nathan Bernard's homicide continued without a resolution. Then, on October 7, 2024, Rochester police announced a significant breakthrough with the arrest of 31-year-old Jalen Reed, a resident of the city. Reed was taken into custody without incident as he was leaving a home.

Authorities charged Reed with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned in Rochester City Court on October 8, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The following month, in November 2024, a grand jury indicted Reed. As of November 2024, his trial for the murder of Nathan Bernard was ongoing.