Officials: At least 10 dead in ‘racially motivated’ shooting in Buffalo market
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A gunman in military-style clothing opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., in what authorities called a “hate crime and racially motived violent extremism,” killing 10 people and wounding three others before being taken in custody Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officials said.
The gunman was identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, a community about 200 miles southeast of Buffalo in New York state, two law enforcement officials told the AP. The officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity.
The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said, and was expected to appear in court later Saturday.
Officials said 11 of the victims were Black and two are white. The shooting happened in a predominantly Black neighborhood a few miles north of downtown Buffalo.
“This is the worst nightmare that any community can face, and we are hurting and we are seething right now,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said at a news conference. “The depth of pain that families are feeling and that all of us are feeling right now cannot even be explained.”
Erie County Sheriff John Garcia added, “This was pure evil. It was straight up racially motivated hate
crime from somebody outside of our community, outside of the City of Good neighbors … coming into our community and trying to inflict that evil upon us.”
Police officials said the gunman opened fire with a rifle at a Tops Friendly Market. Investigators believe he may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said.
The video showed the gunman pulling up to the front of the store with a rifle on the front seat and then pointing the rifle at people in the parking lot as he exited the vehicle and opening fire, the official said.
It also shows the suspect walking into the supermarket and
shooting several other victims inside, the official said. One of the victims was a recently retired police officer who was working as a security guard at the store, according to the official.
The supermarket is in a predominately Black neighborhood, about 3 miles north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is primarily residential, with a Family Dollar store and fire station near the store.
Witnesses reported the gunman was wearing military-style clothing in addition to the body armor and a helmet, one of the law enforcement officials told AP.
Braedyn Kephart and Shane Hill, both 20, pulled into the parking lot just as the shooter was exiting. They described him as a white male in his late teens or early 20s sporting full camo, a black helmet and what appeared to be a rifle.
“He was standing there with the gun to his chin. We were like what the heck is going on? Why does this kid have a gun to his face?” Kephart said. He dropped to his knees. “He ripped off his helmet, dropped his gun, and was tackled by the police.”
At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is receiving regular updates on the shooting and its aftermath.
“The president has been briefed by his Homeland Security advisor on the horrific shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., this afternoon. He will continue to receive updates throughout the evening and tomorrow as further information develops,“she said, adding the president and first lady were praying for the victims and their loved ones.
Tops Friendly Markets released a statement saying, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.“
Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo,” her hometown.
Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley said.