Soviet partisans were active in the Rokitno area, sabotaging railway lines and bridges. Their operations roused the Germans to action and resulted in increased cruelty toward the Jews, whom the occupiers accused of collaborating with the partisans. At this time, the Germans began to carry out roll calls in the market square, allegedly in order to determine whether any Jews had escaped to join the partisans. Then, on August 25, 1942, posters went up on the ghetto walls, announcing a third roll call. On that day, the Jews (including elderly and gravely ill individuals) were ordered, through the Judenrat, to assemble for registration in the town's market square on the next morning. Almost all the inmates of the ghetto came forward on that occasion: A total of 1,631 people were counted by the chief of the Gendarmerie (the German rural Order Police), Henkel Sokolowski. After the registration, the Jews were not permitted to return to their homes in the ghetto. The Germans split them into two groups, with the men being separated from the women and children. Some Jews, who realized the gravity of the situation, tried to escape. At this point, the German gendarmes and the Ukrainian auxiliary policemen (the latter led by Ivan Denisyuk) opened fire on the Jews who had assembled in the market square. As a result, many were killed at the site. The chief of the German Gendarmerie, Henkel Sokolowski, was in charge of this murder operation.

More information: Yad Vashem