BUFFALO, New York –
At least ten people were killed in a shooting at a convenience store in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
Details of the number of additional people shot at Tops Friendly Market and their conditions were not immediately available. Buffalo police said early Saturday afternoon that the suspected shooter, who has not been identified, is in custody.
The two officers were not allowed to comment publicly on the matter and did so on condition of anonymity.
Police officials and a spokesman for the supermarket chain did not immediately respond to messages from AP asking for comment.
The shooter entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire, one of the officers said. Investigators believe the man may have live-streamed the shooting and checked if he posted a manifesto online, the official said.
The officer warned that the investigation was in its early stages and that authorities had not yet identified a clear motive but were investigating whether the shooting was racially motivated.
The supermarket is located in a predominantly black neighborhood about 5 kilometers north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is mostly residential with a Family Dollar store and a fire station near the store.
Witnesses reported the gunman was wearing military fatigues and body armor, one of the officers said
Braedyn Kephart and Shane Hill, both 20, pulled into the parking lot just as the gunman emerged. They described him as a white male in his late teens or early 20s with full camouflage, a black helmet and what appeared to be a gun.
“He stood there with the gun to his chin. We were wondering what the hell is going on? Why does that boy have a gun in his face?” said Kephart. He fell to his knees. “He ripped off his helmet, dropped his gun and was attacked by the police.”
Police cordoned off the block lined with spectators, and yellow police tape surrounded the entire parking lot. Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz were at the scene late Saturday afternoon, gathering in a parking lot across from the Tops store, expecting to address the media.
Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, her hometown.” She said state officials have offered assistance to local authorities. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that it has ordered all available employees to assist the Buffalo Police Department.
The shooting came just over a year after a March 2021 attack on a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado that killed 10 people. Investigators have not released any information as to why they believe the man charged in the attack targeted the supermarket.
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Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. Balsamo reported from Washington and Collins from Hartford, Connecticut.
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