Rochester police officers executing a search warrant at The Avenue Blackbox Theatre, 780 Joseph Ave., allegedly caused damage to the building, according to Reenah Golden, the theater's owner and founder.

The officers were collecting potential evidence connected to the city's most recent homicide, which occurred near the theater Saturday night, resulting in the shooting death of Jose Arroyo, Rochester's 12th homicide victim of the year.

Golden on Wednesday afternoon said in a Facebook post that officers yelled and threatened her, telling her she was "an obstacle to RPD being able to solve violent crime using my Ring camera," and "just broke into" the theater. Golden added in the post that she was "exhausted, triggered and traumatized." She also shared photos of a damaged door.

"None of this had to happen if they just waited until I could come to the building, as I stated repeatedly," she wrote in a comment on her own post. "Not sure when I can get the door repaired or safely resume programs."

On Thursday, Golden said she first spoke with a Rochester police investigator at noon on Wednesday, who asked to review footage from her ADT surveillance system and a Ring camera on the back door of the building. Golden said she asked for clarification as the cameras only capture the doors, windows and interior of the theater.

She said about an hour later, she received a call from RPD Chief David Smith and Capt. Frank Umbrino, who told Golden they were going to execute a search warrant and asked her to be at the theater within 20 minutes if she wanted to be present for the search. Golden said she was not available and said she asked them to schedule an appointment or visit later that afternoon, when the theater would be open.

By 1:11 p.m. the theater's alarm system was activated, showing that officers were inside the building, she said. A hard drive of the ADT surveillance system was removed, she said, adding that police did not provide a list of what else, if anything, was removed.

"If they came in the afternoon or a mutually agreed upon time, a warrant wouldn't have been necessary," Golden said. "I feel the warrant was a show of force and them flexing and painting this very damaging image that they wanted to portray on The Avenue based on their personal feelings about me and my values and how I feel about policing in Rochester."

"Whether they believe it or not, the work that I do is preventing violence," she said. "The work that I do is providing a long-term impact that our community needs for healing and for restoration and transformation."

The Democrat and Chronicle often partners with The Avenue Blackbox to host community events and programs.

Rochester Police Lt. Greg Bello confirmed that officers were in the neighborhood looking for evidence related to the homicide and needed to obtain a warrant signed by a judge to collect potential evidence from the theater. Bello said police needed to pry the exterior door open to gain access to the building.

Bello declined to comment on the interactions between the police and Golden.

Umbrino, who leads the department's Major Crimes Unit, said that investigators had been attempting to reach Golden since Sunday to collect potential evidence. He said they left direct messages and messages through third parties, all of which went unanswered for days. Umbrino also noted that at least a dozen residents and businesses in the neighborhood "fully cooperated" with police and shared potential evidence with the department as part of the investigation.

"Every other business and person we approached in the neighborhood on this investigation cooperated once they knew what we were doing and why," Umbrino said. "It's a puzzle. Every piece, no matter how small, can help."

Golden established Avenue Blackbox Theatre in 2018 as a space for emerging artists, offering programs and safe space for Rochester children and teens in what she calls an "arts desert" with few resources or creative outlets.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Avenue Blackbox Theatre damaged during police investigation, owner says