Police: UR students 'forcibly abducted,' now safe

Four people were in custody Sunday night after a pair of University of Rochester students were kidnapped and rescued.

One of the students, whom police did not identify, was shot in the leg before the rescue.

Ani Okeke Ewo of Aurora, Illinois, and Nicholas Kollias of Northbrook, Illinois, both seniors, were reported missing around 6:30 p.m. Saturday under “suspicious circumstances.” They had been seen on Wilson Boulevard near the university around 2 a.m. Saturday.

Rochester Police Chief Michael Ciminelli said that during their investigation, police learned the men had been “forcibly abducted” and were being held at 22 Harvest St. in northeast Rochester. Harvest Street is about four miles from the university campus.

Suspects in UR abduction expected in court

Around 9:20 p.m., SWAT team members entered the home and rescued the men. Ewo and Kollias were taken to an area hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening, siad Ciminelli.

Four suspects were taken into custody in or near the house, Ciminelli said. They will likely face kidnapping and assault charges, and more arrests may be made.

Ciminelli said the victims were targeted and there was no threat to other students. He would not give details.

"I do want to point out this was a directed event and we have no information or evidence of any kind that this constituted a general threat to the University of Rochester community, nor do we have any information or evidence that there is a threat or safety concern to the University of Rochester community at this point," he said.

UR President Joel Seligman said he was grateful the students had been found safe. He said he had spoken to both the students and their parents, and he thanked Rochester and University police for their prompt, successful response.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren praised the police, particularly the SWAT Team, “for a job well done.”

MCDERMOT@Gannett.com