On Saturday, an identified 18-year-old white man opened fire at a supermarket in New York, Buffalo, Black District: 13 people were shot, 10 of them killed.
Three victims died in the parking lot, while seven more died in the store. Of the 13 who died, 11 were black and the other two were white. There are four store employees and the others are consumers.
The massacre shook the Buffalo community, especially residents of the black area, where Tops Friendly Market is the only grocery store within miles. Community members prayed outside the supermarket on Sunday morning to pay tribute to the dead and to draw attention to the intense threat posed by white supremacy.
“When the names come out, my heart breaks because you realize, oh, it’s your mom’s friend, it’s another friend’s friend’s aunt. A man who had just bought a cake for his son’s birthday was carved over the counter – at the cash register counter – on Sunday, New York Governor Katie Hochul, a Buffalo resident, told ABC “This Week.”
“So no, it’s deeply disturbing for all of us. It’s a cohesive society, they take care of each other. We care more and we’re sad, I have no doubt about that”.
Here are the names of the victims and their stories.
Aaron Solter Jr., 55 years old
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia confirmed that among the victims was retired officer Aaron Salter. Solter served in the police force for 30 years before working as a security guard at Tops Friendly Market. According to The Daily Beast.
He was working at a 55-year-old shift shop when 18-year-old Peyton Gendron accidentally started shooting people, first in the parking lot and then at the supermarket. Salter fired several shots at Gendron, but the bullets failed to penetrate the shooter’s tactical equipment. Gendron then shot and killed a security guard while searching for the other victim.
“He went to fight. “He went in, he went on the hunt, he went on the fight,” Gramaglia told ABC’s This Week, adding that there would have been more casualties if not for Solter’s actions.
The son of a security guard, Aaron Salter III, told the Daily Beast the hunt was a “shock” and called his father a hero who may have “saved some lives today.”
This is Aaron Salter Jr.
At this point, you’ve probably heard her story … but that’s something I have to share with you over and over again.
The 55-year-old was a security guard, the main character who fired at the suspect, trying to stop the monster.
Rest in peace, Hero, Mr. Salter. ⁇ pic.twitter.com/eVJP7oOyOV
– Mel Orlins (@Mel_Orlins) May 15, 2022
Ruth Whitfield, 86
Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnel Whitfield confirmed Saturday night that his mother, Ruth Whitfield, was one of the victims of the shooting.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told church visitors at the city’s true Bethel Baptist Church that he saw a former commissioner looking for his mother at the shooting scene Saturday.
According to Brown, Garnell Whitfield said her mother would visit her father at a nursing home and stop at the supermarket to buy groceries, but that “no one heard from her.” The mayor said he was later confirmed a victim.
“My mom was the best mom,” Garnel Whitfield told Buffalo News. “My mother was a mother of the helpless. It has been a blessing to all of us.”
Ruth Whitfield, 86, was on her way home after her husband’s visit to a nursing home when she stopped at Tops Friendly Market for groceries-a “daily ritual,” said her son Garnel Whitfield. . @ABC Sunday morning. Ruth was among 10 people who died. pic.twitter.com/4GBBudz4fF
– Anastasia (@AnastasiaElyseW) May 15, 2022
Catherine “Kate” Messi, 72 years old
“He’s an amazing soul,” Messi’s sister Barbara Massi told the publication. Barbara Massey said their sister had to pick up Catherine Massey when she finished grocery shopping and she called her sister for several hours while she was outside the grocery store, the Buffalo News reported.
Former county legislator Betty Jean Grant said – Catherine Macy’s friend for over 20 years – 72 years – has been a staunch civil rights advocate and she’s definitely heard about the black Buffalo community. Just last year, Messi wrote a letter to the editor calling for federal -level gun enhancement regulations to combat both street violence and mass shootings.
“We lost our vote yesterday,” Grant told The Buffalo News. “We lost a loud and strong voice.”
Hayward “Tenny” Patterson, 67 years old
Deacon Hayward “Tenny” Patterson is known to the public for his faith and service in the State Tabernacle Church. He often takes people to the supermarket and comes back when they can’t walk there, his friend Leonard Lane told WKYC-TV.
She will also help them with their shopping. In Saturday’s massacre, Patterson was helping someone shop, his niece Tenicua Clark told the New York Times.
“Many of them do not have cars or buses. He just keeps them going back and forth around the house. “He had a family, he had a very nice son and they took him,” Lane said. “He loves his children, he sees any person. And he loves God, that’s what he wants to do, help people.
Hayward “Tenny” Patterson was one of 10 people killed at the top, according to his friend Leonard. He was a man of faith and service. He was a deacon in the church and bought food for people without transportation. @wkyc @WGRZ pic.twitter.com/4hpKf9Z8PY
– Emma Henderson (@EmmaHendersonTV) May 15, 2022
Pearl Young, 77 years old
Pearl Young, a member of the public service, was shopping at a supermarket when she became one of 10 people killed in the shooting.
Young has run a weekly food pantry for the past 25 years, where he feeds people every Saturday in the Central Park district, according to 11Alive reporter Madison Carrie.
The 77-year-old family at the door said they love to sing, dance and be with the family. Young’s son learned of his death when he was not at the scene of the shooting, while the victim’s son -in -law learned of his death via Facebook.
“I shouldn’t have understood you like that,” he said at the door.
Pearl Young, 77, was killed today # ᲙMechebi You go shopping.
For 25 years he ran a pantry where he fed people every Saturday in Central Park. Every. Saturday.
She loves to sing, dance and be with her family.She was a mother, grandmother and missionary. He left immediately 🕊 pic.twitter.com/dQ5X9KBJCQ
– Madison Carter (@madisonlcarter) May 15, 2022
Roberta Drury, 32 years old
Roberta Drury was in Buffalo with her family gathering groceries from cannons for dinner when she was killed in a massacre, her sister told The New York Times.
“We want to personally thank the security guard’s family,” he said, as Drur’s brother called him “very energetic” and “the whole room smiled and laughed.”
His funeral will be held in Syracuse.
Roberta Drury: 32 … is in a scam to be with family and help her brother recover from a bone marrow transplant ……. pic.twitter.com/gpJyvUFphE
– Jas Williams (@thejhaswilliams) May 15, 2022
Celestine Chan, 65 years old
Celestine Cheney and her sister went to the grocery store when Cheney was killed, her son Wayne Jones confirmed to the New York Times. A 65-year-old man wanted to buy strawberries to make pie, which Jones said he wanted.
When filming began, Cheney’s brother went to the freezer to hide.
“But my mom couldn’t walk like she used to,” Jones told the Times. “Basically he can’t run.”
A survivor of a single mother and a breast cancer survivor, Cheney worked at a costume designer while making baseball caps before retiring. Jones was his only son; However, he has six grandchildren and one grandchild, WBNS-TV reports. Cheney’s family encourages the public to wear pink ribbons in honor of him.
This is Celestino Chan.
Here he is with his son Wayne.
We are working hard to learn more about Celestine’s life and kind of person.
I was told that his grandson was going to Buffalo to be with the family.
Rest in peace, dear Celestino. ⁇ pic.twitter.com/Tz2UwtZQMQ
– Mel Orlins (@Mel_Orlins) May 15, 2022
Marco d. Morrison, 52
Marco d. Morrison is a resident of Buffalo, New York.
Andre McNeil, 53
Andre McNeil is from Auburn, New York.
Geraldine Taley, 62 years old
Geraldine Talley is from Buffalo, New York.
Source: Huffpost