click to enlarge Republican State Assembly member Bill Nojay is dead after he apparently commited suicide in a Rochester cemetery.
The Rochester Police Department says that it responded to a call around 9:30 a.m. for a welfare check on a person in Riverside Cemetery on Lake Avenue. One of the responding officers saw a man shoot himself.
This afternoon, police confirmed that the man was Nojay, 59, of Pittsford. The department initially withheld his identification pending notification of his family; that's a typical practice for law enforcement regarding any death.
Nojay, a staunch conservative, was running for re-election and faced a primary challenge from Honeoye Falls Mayor Rick Milne. The election is Tuesday.
“I was saddened and shocked to hear the news of Assemblyman Nojay’s passing and I offer my deepest condolences to the Nojay family during this difficult time," Monroe County Republican Committee Chair Bill Reilich said in a statement. "Bill Nojay had a great passion for public service and served the residents of the 133rd Assembly District with great conviction. His sudden passing comes as a surprise to those who knew him well. In recent days he had been speaking with great enthusiasm about his upcoming primary and his overall excitement for this year’s election.”
This post has been updated throughout the day.