A Gunman Killed 10 People In Buffalo For “Racially Motivated” Reasons

The mayor of Buffalo, New York, called it a day of “great pain” for his city after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket, killing 10 people. Authorities have the shooter in custody and have described the murders as hate crimes.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said, “We are hurting, and we are seething right now as a community. The depth of pain that families are feeling and that all of us are feeling right now cannot even be explained. Some of us had the opportunity to provide comfort to some of the families, but, needless to say, there is no comfort at this time. We are pleased that a shooter is in custody.”

The sheriff of Erie County called the murders “pure evil.” Sheriff John Garcia said the 18-year-old white male suspect is not from Buffalo and drove hours to the city. Witnesses stated the gunman wore Army fatigues and a helmet.

The White House said President Joe Biden had been informed of the mass shooting. In a statement, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added, “He will continue to receive updates throughout the evening and tomorrow as further information develops. The President and the First Lady are praying for those who have been lost and for their loved ones.”

In 2015 a gunman shot and killed nine members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Dylan Roof, a white supremacist, was convicted of the crimes and sentenced to death. When asked for a reason for the murders, Roof said, “I had to do it because somebody had to. Blacks are raping and killing white people on the streets every day … what I did is still miniscule to what they’re doing to white people every day.”