Buffalo police said a suspect is in custody but have not released further information. A news conference is expected to take place around 6 pm on Saturday.
BREAKING: BPD at the scene of a mass shooting in Tops in the 1200 block of Jefferson Avenue. Police say several people have been hit by gunshots. The shooter is in custody. Motorists and residents are urged to avoid the area.
— Buffalo Police Department (@BPDAlerts) May 14, 2022
In a television interview, Rep. Brian Higgins (DN.Y.) said at least eight people had died. “Whether it’s in Florida, whether it’s in Connecticut, whether it’s in Buffalo, NY, this is a national problem that needs to be addressed,” he said.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz had tweeted that there was “an active multiple shooting” at the grocery store and echoed police’s request that people stay away from the scene. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office said it wanted to “convey condolences to the family and friends of today’s shooting.”
“Sheriff [John] Garcia has marshaled all available resources and personnel to help [Buffalo police]”, the sheriff’s office wrote On twitter.
Governor of New York Kathy Hochul (R) wrote that she was “closely monitoring the shooting.
“We have offered assistance to local officials,” he tweeted. “If you are in Buffalo, please avoid the area and follow the instructions of local law enforcement and officials.”
This is the scene outside Tops on Jefferson Ave. where Buffalo police say multiple people were shot. Waiting for more details. pic.twitter.com/FhPhbFkHiO
— Marlee Tuskes (@MarleeTuskesTV) May 14, 2022
Located in a low-income area of Buffalo, Tops Friendly Markets is a popular store serving many people who live in the area. It is central to several area universities, including Canisius College and Buffalo State University, as well as several area churches.
The supermarket is about 10 minutes from the Canalside area of Buffalo, an area popular with locals and visitors.
A frozen dairy worker who identified himself as Will G. told the buffalo news that he had entered the ice chest to store milk minutes before the shooting. When the shots rang out, she ended up joining others who hid in the refrigerator.
“I only heard gunshots. Shots and shots and shots,” he told the Newscast. “It sounded like things were falling down.”
He added: “I hid. I just hid. She was not going to leave that room.”
The shooting at the Buffalo grocery store on Saturday echoes the March 2021 mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, when 10 people, including a police officer, were killed at a King Soopers grocery store.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Reference-www.washingtonpost.com