Police say the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries after stepping into a confrontation on Genesee Street late Monday.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A man in his 60s was stabbed several times after police say he intervened in a dispute between a man and a woman on Genesee Street late Monday, leading officers to arrest a 48-year-old suspect nearby.
Rochester police said officers responded to the 200 block of Genesee Street around 11:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and found the injured man. He was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with wounds that authorities said were not life-threatening. Police identified the suspect as Cordell Lanier, who was later charged with second-degree assault.
According to police and court records cited by local authorities, the victim reported seeing Lanier yelling at an unidentified female. The man told Lanier to leave her alone, and a fight followed, police said. Authorities allege Lanier used a knife during the confrontation and stabbed the man multiple times before leaving the area on a bicycle.
Officers searching the neighborhood found Lanier farther south on Genesee Street shortly after the stabbing, police said. Authorities said he tried to flee before officers took him into custody near Stratford Park. He was then transported to the Monroe County Jail.
Rochester Police Capt. Greg Bello said the victim was fortunate that the injuries were not fatal. Police credited the response of officers and other first responders with getting the injured man medical care and locating the suspect soon after the confrontation.
Bello also addressed the circumstances that led to the stabbing. Police generally encourage people who witness potentially dangerous disputes to call 911 and allow officers to respond, he said. In this case, however, investigators said the victim appeared to be trying to help someone when the confrontation escalated.
The unidentified woman involved in the initial dispute has not been publicly identified, and authorities have not released additional information about what happened before the victim intervened. Police also have not publicly identified the stabbing victim.
Authorities said Lanier was on parole for second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon at the time of his arrest. State appellate records show his second-degree murder conviction was affirmed in 2000. Police said his parole status was active when the new assault allegation arose.
Jail records cited by 13WHAM after the arrest listed bail at $25,000 or a $75,000 bond. A court appearance had been set for Wednesday, but no later disposition of the assault case was located in the sources reviewed. The second-degree assault charge remains an allegation unless proved in court.
Author note: Last updated October 3, 2026.