Buffalo shooting suspect had plans to continue rampage, police say
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ahead of President Joe Biden’s go to, we’re studying extra concerning the victims in Saturday’s upstate grocery store shooting.
They embody a retired police officer, a deacon, and a group activist, CBS2’s Kevin Rincon reported Monday.
The 10 victims within the horrific assault all left behind households who at the moment are grieving what would possibly as nicely be a residing nightmare. But having talked to a few of these households, there’s additionally anger that one thing like this might occur proper in their very own group.
Days after the lethal shooting at Tops grocery store, the ache and harm remains to be uncooked.
Among these lost was Ruth Whitfield. Her son is the previous Buffalo fireplace commissioner. He says earlier than she died, she had spent her day together with his dad at a nursing dwelling.
“She left there tired having given herself to someone else and went to the grocery store and lost her life. We’re going to cry and grieve, but that’s not all we’re going to do because we’re angry,” Garnell Whitfield stated.
He stated there wants to be accountability for the hate unfold on social media that’s believed to have fueled the suspect’s shooting spree.
“What do we tell our father, who is still up here in this nursing home, who does not know the love of his life, 68 years they’re married, what do we tell him? Where she is? He’s missing her now. A couple of days have passed. She doesn’t miss a couple of days. What do we tell him?” Garnell Whitfield stated.
READ MORE: Buffalo shooting: Gov. Hochul calls on social media corporations to monitor content material extra intently after assault was live-streamed
As they grieve, so does the household of Aaron Salter. The retired police officer was working as a safety guard and tried to cease the gunman, shooting him as soon as within the chest, however hitting solely his physique armor.
“That, I’m sure, backed him off slightly, and then we had our officers respond in less than a minute,” Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia stated.
Gramaglia referred to as Salter a hero, including with out him issues may have been very completely different.
“Woke me up the other night thinking what if this guy engaged our officers when we they got there? He could have retreated back in. It definitely could have been worse,” Gramaglia stated.
The household of Katherine Massey stated they lost a stupendous soul.
“He took my sister. He took my sister I talk to everyday,” stated Massey, 72. “She was, you need something and she could do it, she would do it for you.”
Also killed on the grocery store was Andre Mackneil, who went there particularly for his son.
“My brother came to celebrate his son’s birthday. He came to buy him cake. Now, I have no brother, he has no father. Is that fair? Feelings? I don’t know what they are,” Dyonne Elliott stated.
Zaire Goodman, 20, is without doubt one of the three shooting victims who survived. Goodman instructed CBS Mornings he feels “Discomfort, sadness, maybe a bit of regret.”
“I wonder why out of all the people that, the three people that were spared, I was one of them,” Goodman stated.
The grocery store the place the shooting occurred is a crucial useful resource to the group, which is in any other case a meals desert. Mobile meals pantries have been arrange whereas the shop is closed.
There is an immense quantity of anger among the many households of the victims they usually’re demanding justice, not solely by way of the prosecution of the suspect, however by way of legislative adjustments.
This as we realized Monday from police that the suspect had supposed to goal different shops, not simply the Tops.
“There was evidence that was uncovered that he had plans, had he gotten out of here, to continue his rampage and continue shooting people. He’d even spoken about possibly going to another store,” Gramaglia stated. “There’s some documentation that said that if he got out of here, he was gonna get in his car and continue to drive down Jefferson Avenue and continue doing the same thing.”
Despite not having the ability to perform these alleged plans, loads of individuals stay involved about their security. As a end result, town has stepped up patrols.
“Hopefully seeing a greater presence of law enforcement, right now in particular, is making people feel more comfortable,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown stated.
The shooter accused of orchestrating the horrific assault additionally broken the group’s livelihood. Neighbors instructed CBS2’s Elijah Westbrook the Tops grocery store is a crucial supply of meals and the one grocery retailer of that measurement within the space.
“It has really been the most biggest thing for everybody because the next one is not for another five miles,” resident Shawnequa Garrett stated.
Garrett, who lives down the block from the shop, stated she’s lucky to find a way to drive to one other grocery store. But that is not the case for others who stay on her avenue.
“People that I know came up here to get groceries had to walk all the way to Jefferson and Bass and so because of everything it’s not like you can just walk right through. You have to walk all the way up, down and around,” Garrett stated.
As Garrett watched from her entrance yard in disbelief on the now quickly closed grocery store, it additionally the positioning of a meals giveaway operation involving dozens of volunteers handing out recent produce.
“We just want to help,” one particular person stated.
In a press release, Tops Friendly Markets stated, partly, “We are rapidly working to create a fund for the families of victims and those directly impacted,” including, “It is our sincere hope to partner with many local and business leaders on this endeavor.”
