Haley Rodriguez: Gates Police Shooting Under State Review

Haley Rodriguez, a 27-year-old woman from the Rochester area, was shot and died after an encounter with a Gates Police Department officer on Spencerport Road in Gates, New York, at about 1 a.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Police say she was holding what looked like a revolver. Investigators later recovered an imitation handgun, and her brother says the object was a gun-shaped novelty lighter he had given her as a gift.

Ten days later, her family is seeking answers, and body camera video of the encounter has not been released. The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation opened a review on October 7, as state law requires whenever a police officer may have caused someone's death.

Who Was Haley Rodriguez?

According to WXXI News, Haley Rodriguez was adopted into the family of her brothers, Justin Wright and Caleb Snell, roughly 12 years ago after her mother died of cancer. She had been living with her brothers until about a week before she died, when she went to stay with her father, the family told the station.

Wright described her death as needless. "She didn't have to go like that," he told WXXI News. He also said his sister lived with a mental health condition that he believes may have played a part in what happened that night, adding: "I feel like she switched, and she wasn't herself at that time."

What Happened on Spencerport Road?

The Attorney General's office released a preliminary account on October 7 and stressed that the facts are subject to change. According to that release, a Gates officer on patrol saw Rodriguez walking in the middle of Spencerport Road. He switched on his flashing lights, stopped his vehicle and got out. She appeared to be holding a handgun, and the officer asked her to put it down and speak with him.

The release says Rodriguez allegedly pointed the apparent handgun toward the officer, and he fired his service weapon, hitting her. She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Police said she died later that morning at Strong Memorial Hospital. An imitation handgun was recovered at the scene.

Spectrum News reported that the officer called for backup and began first aid, that he was not hurt, and that he was placed on administrative leave, which the department described as standard procedure.

What Police Have Said

Gates Police Chief Robert Long gave a news conference on Monday, October 5. As reported by Spectrum News, Long said the woman did not respond when the officer told her to drop the weapon and offered to talk with her and help, and that she then raised it toward him. WXXI News quoted Long as saying the officer "immediately observed the fact that the person had a revolver in their hand." Long later said the object was a replica, and Spectrum News reported it was not capable of firing. Long declined to say how many times Rodriguez was shot.

What Does the Family Say She Was Holding?

Wright told WXXI News he believes his sister was carrying a small, silver-colored torch lighter shaped like a gun, a gift from him. He said it had an orange safety cap on the end meant to show it was not a real weapon. "If it's a revolver and it's that big, there's no way that it's a revolver," he told the station. WXXI reported that Gates police did not respond to repeated requests for comment on what exactly Rodriguez was carrying.

Why Hasn't the Body Camera Video Been Released?

WXXI News filed a Freedom of Information request for the officer's body-worn camera footage. Chief Long declined to release it, citing the ongoing investigations. A spokesperson for the Attorney General's office told the station that Gates police may release the video at their own discretion without the office's approval.

Has Anyone Been Charged?

No. No charges have been announced, and the officer has not been publicly identified. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit and the Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation are both investigating.

What Happens Next

The Attorney General's office will complete its review and decide whether the case should go further. It has not said when that will happen. In the meantime, her brothers are still waiting for answers about how an encounter on Spencerport Road ended with their sister's death.

Timeline of the Haley Rodriguez Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Who shot Haley Rodriguez?

An officer with the Gates Police Department in Monroe County, New York. The officer has not been publicly named and was placed on administrative leave.

Was Haley Rodriguez carrying a real gun?

No. Investigators recovered an imitation handgun, and police said it was a replica that could not fire. Her brother says it was a gun-shaped novelty lighter with an orange safety cap.

Who is investigating the shooting?

The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit.

MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.

Sources

• WXXI News: Family seeks answers following fatal police shooting of Haley Rodriguez
• New York Attorney General: Office of Special Investigation opens investigation into death in Monroe County
• Spectrum News 1: Gates police details on fatal officer-involved shooting
• FingerLakes1.com: AG investigates fatal Gates police shooting on Spencerport Road