10 Dead After Mass Shooting In Buffalo

[TTL News 307]

BUFFALO N.Y. – Thirteen people were shot, ten of them killed, in a shooting that took place in Buffalo Saturday afternoon. 

Police say the suspect, eighteen year old Payton Gendron of Conklin NY, drove three hours to the Tops Friendly Market in a predominantly black neighborhood. Gendron arrived at approximately 2:30 pm, wearing tactical gear and body armor, including a helmet with a video camera attached. Three to four people were shot in the parking lot. He then went into the store and began shooting, live streaming the event online. 

One of the victims, a retired Buffalo police officer working as security, shot and hit Gendron. However the suspect, wearing body armor, was unharmed and returned fire, killing the officer. 

The suspect is reported to have posted a 180 page racist, anti-immigrant rant online, which included detailed plans for the attack as well as his belief in the idea of “replacement theory”, the white supremacist ideology that white Americans are at risk of becoming replaced by people of color. The belief was once regarded to be a fringe idea, but has become more mainstream in the past few years. 

In a portion of his rant, Gendron wrote that he had been preparing for this attack for a couple years, and had specifically chosen this neighborhood in Buffalo because it held the highest percentage of black residents near his home here in the Southern Tier. 

When police arrived, Gendron put a gun to his neck, but was persuaded to drop the weapon. He was taken into custody and charged with first degree murder and entered a plea of “not guilty.” He told the judge he was unable to afford an attorney, so a public defender was appointed. 

Yesterday’s shooting is regarded as one of the deadliest racist attacks in recent American history.

In a press conference, Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown described the day as “painful.”

Mayor Byron W. Brown and Governor Kathy Hochul address the media. 

“Some of the victims of this shooter’s attack are people that all of us standing up here know,” he said.

“This is my community. I know this community well, I’ve walked these streets,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “I know the individuals who live here. It’s a wonderful tight knit neighborhood. And to see that sense of security shattered by an individual, a white supremacist who has engaged in an act of terrorism and will be prosecuted as such…it strikes us in our very hearts to know that there is such evil that lurks out there…”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the FBI is investigating the shooting as a hate crime as well as an act of “racially motivated violent extremism.”

 

[Chris 2,152]

Absolutely horrifying. And the fact this puke drove through here on his way to do this is chilling. I have to give the police credit, I would have likely encouraged him to eat that bullet. 

[Andy 70]

Allegedly in the video (I’m sure it’s true but I sure am not watching) he aims his gun at a white worker, sees he’s white, and says “sorry” to him. He then proceeds to kill more black people. 
 

Absolute scum, I know it’s “good” that he was arrested but it would’ve been no loss if he was dead now

[MsKreed 1,167]

42 minutes ago, Andy said:

Absolute scum, I know it’s “good” that he was arrested but it would’ve been no loss if he was dead now

Agreed......it would have been perfectly acceptable if the LEOs had forgone their "de-escalation" tactics when he turned the gun on himself.

[Chris 2,152]

NPR has the right idea ( and for the record, ET won’t use the word either 😞

“Webster's New World Dictionary defines "Manifesto" as, "a public declaration of motives and intentions, as by a political party or by an avant-garde movement" So to refer to the shooter's document as a "manifesto", in my opinion, implicitly takes the twisted racist and anti-Semitic rantings that comprise it, far more seriously than they deserve to be taken and gives it a level of credibility that furthers the shooter's aims.”

More at https://www.npr.org/2022/05/15/1099014432/why-npr-isnt-using-the-word-manifesto

[Chris 2,152]

You know, I've been thinking about this... a lot. A couple random things keep swirling around in my head:

• What if this puke didn't have the money or gas to make it as far as Buffalo? Think of the other places he could have stopped, including here. 
• Here we go again with the same old song and dance. The president and other politicians will arrive, pound a podium angrily while declaring "our resolve", then go back to status quo until the next time. Already they're on TV talking about guns, and the public health crisis they are. You know what else is a public health crisis? The absolutely deplorable job this country has done when it comes to mental health care. We're sending billions overseas ( every f--king administration as long as I can remember ) and yet an act of God to get someone into long term or even short term care because, "We don't have the funding." Someone having a crisis needs attention NOW, not three months later. We have people walking the streets who shouldn't be, that can't care for themselves, but, because of the sins of the past and how mental health "care" was rendered 100 years ago, no one has the balls to say, "Hey, maybe we do need some institutions where people can be kept safe and live some kind of productive, meaningful life, albeit under supervision." But for God's sake, you can't even get a person with suicidal ideation the care they need. So let's blame the inanimate object because that's easier. You know what? Stick your "resolve" and your "thoughts and prayers" in your ass and do something useful for a change. 

Ah screw it...Ben Crump and the rest of the sharks are on the scene, circling the water. So long as racial tensions, political and societal tribalism, and all the other issues no one wants to shine the light on are profitable, this shit isn't going to change. Blood money makes the right people rich, so it's business as usual. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[TTL News 307]

Quote

 

BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) — The alleged gunman who killed 10 people in a racist attack in a Buffalo grocery store this weekend is from Conklin, New York. Residents of the small, mostly white town largely expressed shock at the attack.

Some Black residents in nearby Binghamton are less surprised. They’re still processing feelings of fear and anger.

Greater Good Grocery in Binghamton’s North Side, serves mostly Black residents. Like the store that was attacked in Buffalo, it’s also in a food desert.

Kinya Middleton is a Black woman and the general manager of Greater Good.

Middletown has found herself thinking about whether she, her staff, and customers are at risk. She said she’s a spiritual person, and she prays to God to keep her and her employees safe. She’s suddenly aware of the size of the windows, and whether she’d be able to see someone coming.

“Today, I caught myself, I came in at 7:30, our store isn’t open till nine, but my employees come in around 8:15. Usually, I leave the door open for them. And I didn’t this morning. I locked it, and waited for them to call me or knock, then I let them in. Just a different awareness,” Middleton said.

 

Read the rest here.

[Ars76 69]

The lack of mental health services is absolutely a national crisis (and frankly,  embarrassment)  - but in this case I'm not sure it's a mental health issue as much as an individual that was indoctrinated into a hate-filled mindset that I don't understand.  

As much as we are lacking in mental health,  I don't know of any way to address this type of hatred.... but as a nation we are going to have to learn how to address it

[Chris 2,152]

I don't disagree, but it's pretty hard to make ignorance and hatred, learned over countless generations, suddenly go away. 

[MsKreed 1,167]

13 hours ago, Ars76 said:

The lack of mental health services is absolutely a national crisis (and frankly,  embarrassment)  - but in this case I'm not sure it's a mental health issue as much as an individual that was indoctrinated into a hate-filled mindset that I don't understand. 

That’s where I’m conflicted, too.

I feel like there’s a trend in mental healthcare that relies increasingly on pharmaceutical treatment.  Even setting aside the questions of how many of those drugs may have side effects of increased violence and aggressive behavior, there seems to be a lack of effective clinical therapy (whether institutional or heavily monitored outpatient basis).

But we know that “indoctrination” is a real concept. Since the dawn of humankind, from region, to Madison Avenue ad execs, to military conscription – we know that young minds can be molded. And once they’re molded, ingrained ideas are really hard to undo.  The same idea worked very well for Shock Incarceration programs like Monterey. Constant, reinforcement in as little as 6 months would often result in long-term changes in attitude and behavior. 

Even without fully understanding the “mechanics” of brain chemistry behind ‘indoctrination’ we know that consistent reinforcement of ideas, behaviors, etc can often have a stronger impact than prescriptions....as radical movements and cults prove (over and over) are so highly effective (without prescriptions, just lots of reinforcement). 

It's a little baffling to me that mental health care (or the insurance and allowable coverage) isn't more focused on tried and true methods of behavior modification.

[Chris 2,152]

21 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

But we know that “indoctrination” is a real concept. Since the dawn of humankind, from region, to Madison Avenue ad execs, to military conscription – we know that young minds can be molded.

Absolutely. And let's face the facts, right now our society is so divided and unwilling to listen to anything than their own echo chamber, the indoctrination starts right in the home, at a very early age. I can't begin to imagine what kids are being exposed to, right here in our own community. It's scary. And this incident is Exhibit A that it can, in fact, happen anywhere. 

[MsKreed 1,167]

2 minutes ago, Chris said:

the indoctrination starts right in the home, at a very early age.

Unfortunately, with internet reach, it can also occur later where parents aren't exposing. That sort of thing doesn't have to start by elementary school; it' generally just as effective when introduced in late teens and early 20s - maybe more effective when the "coming of age" concept can push them away from their upbringing.  Like the "Manson Family", or Western non-Muslim young adults joining ISIS have been indoctrinated later to the point of doing stuff that completely went against what they learned at home....often by offering some twisted "empathy" and trying to "connect" with some vulnerable sense of isolation or need to 'belong', etc.

[Chris 2,152]

8 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

Unfortunately, with internet reach, it can also occur later where parents aren't exposing.

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that it was solely on the parents, I should have typed that out a little better. 

[KarenK 382]

16 minutes ago, Chris said:

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that it was solely on the parents, I should have typed that out a little better. 

 

25 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

Unfortunately, with internet reach, it can also occur later where parents aren't exposing. That sort of thing doesn't have to start by elementary school; it' generally just as effective when introduced in late teens and early 20s - maybe more effective when the "coming of age" concept can push them away from their upbringing.  Like the "Manson Family", or Western non-Muslim young adults joining ISIS have been indoctrinated later to the point of doing stuff that completely went against what they learned at home....often by offering some twisted "empathy" and trying to "connect" with some vulnerable sense of isolation or need to 'belong', etc.

However, unless I'm missing things, the parents have had very little to say about any of this.  I recall the day after maybe, where I read that the parents were being interviewed and then nothing after that.  Not even the "thoughts and prayers" comments you usually read.  Again, I may have missed that part from the more local stories.  It's just odd and unusual.

[Ann 262]

On 5/22/2022 at 11:45 AM, KarenK said:

 

However, unless I'm missing things, the parents have had very little to say about any of this.  I recall the day after maybe, where I read that the parents were being interviewed and then nothing after that.  Not even the "thoughts and prayers" comments you usually read.  Again, I may have missed that part from the more local stories.  It's just odd and unusual.

Perhaps they are in shock, trying to understand how and why like every one else, wondering if and when they will come under scrutiny for liability, afraid anything say will be taken wrong.  

[Chris 2,152]

5 minutes ago, Ann said:

Perhaps they are in shock, trying to understand how and why like every one else, wondering if and when they will come under scrutiny for liability, afraid anything say will be taken wrong.  

Or they're trying to work out the best statement to say, "The little bastard is dead to us."

[KarenK 382]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Or they're trying to work out the best statement to say, "The little bastard is dead to us."

I guess my thought processes all along were with the "parental indoctrination" theory.  Something as drastic as that kind of hate from an 18 year seems like it has been something learned for quite some time and that usually is family related in some way and that's why they are staying quiet.  I guessed lawyering up actually.

[MsKreed 1,167]

I can't rule out the parents or some external radical group.....there are examples of both scenarios causing someone to commit heinous acts. 

When I saw the first mention of the parents, it was something like "they blamed Covid" and supposedly claimed they'd seen behavior changes and isolation after lockdowns. I don't recall that characterization being directly attributed to them - it could have been an interview with a neighbor or extended family. 

While the parents have been quiet, it sounds like, in his ranting narrative, he was going out of his way to hide his actions from them.....

Quote

“My parents know little about me,” he added. “They don’t know about the hundreds of silver ounces I’ve had, or the hundreds of dollars I’ve spent on ammo. They don’t know that I spent close to $1000 on random military [stuff]. They don’t even know I own a shotgun or an AR-15, or illegal magazines.”

The messages suggest Gendron’s parents were also unaware he had become a self-described white supremacist: On March 11, when the family visited a Spectrum Mobile store to upgrade their phones’ data plans, the accused gunman wrote that he felt “very stressed” his parents or the store tech would discover the racist photos and messages stored on his phone.

Quote

As the planned date for his attack neared, Gendron wrote that he was growing increasingly “stressed” that his parents would discover the plot. He had lied to them about attending college classes, the messages say, and moved guns around their home when they were out or on different floors of the house. As of March 22, he was no longer enrolled at SUNY Broome, a college spokeswoman said in a statement. On March 26, according to the messages, Gendron also received a mailed citation for a speeding ticket he received while traveling to Buffalo in secret. 

“I'm compromised guys!” He wrote, adding that “now my dad knows I was hours away doing something I shouldn't have.” Gendron told his parents he had skipped class that day to hike in Letchworth State Park, instead. 

SOURCE

Edited May 23, 2022 by MsKreed

[TTL News 307]

Quote

 

A new Regents exam scheduled for next week has been canceled because of potentially traumatizing content in the test in light of a mass shooting in Buffalo, the Department of Education wrote in a letter to school administrators Tuesday.

The new United States History and Government (Framework) Regents Exam was scheduled to be given for the first time on Wednesday, June 1. In the wake of the racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo that killed 10 people, the New York State Department of Education reviewed Regents exam content and found that this particular test, "has the potential to compound student trauma caused by the recent violence in Buffalo."

 

Source

[KarenK 382]

1 hour ago, TwinTiersLiving said:

Source

I would just love to know what that single question is that will "trigger" these kids.

[Chris 2,152]

I’ll have to do a little more looking into this. Because nothing I’ve seen mentions exactly what the “traumatizing” content actually is.

Not that I think the Regents program is all that necessary.

[KarenK 382]

1 minute ago, Chris said:

I’ll have to do a little more looking into this. Because nothing I’ve seen mentions exactly what the “traumatizing” content actually is.

Not that I think the Regents program is all that necessary.

I read an article on it earlier today that said they wouldn't release that info to the public.

I agree with the Regents exams. For a state that want's everyone to get a trophy I could never figure out why they pushed for that regents diploma which sets the more average learners apart.  There was a stink about it some years ago for that reason but they still have the exams.  NY is one of the only states that does.

[MsKreed 1,167]

2 hours ago, KarenK said:

I would just love to know what that single question is that will "trigger" these kids.

If I had to make a guess..... I'd speculate that a newly added US History topic could likely pertain to the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot (massacre), since it's been covered more thoroughly (in media and schools) only since the 2001 Commission report was released.....and could, understandably, conjure some correlation with the Buffalo mass shooting.

Just a guess....but a reasonable possibility?

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by MsKreed

[KarenK 382]

55 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

If I had to make a guess..... I'd speculate that a newly added US History topic could likely pertain to the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot (massacre), since it's been covered more thoroughly (in media and schools) only since the 2001 Commission report was released.....and could, understandably, conjure some correlation with the Buffalo mass shooting.

Just a guess....but a reasonable possibility?

 

I would have never made that connection.  Now we are on to the next mass shooting.  Little kids.  😞

[MsKreed 1,167]

2 hours ago, KarenK said:

Now we are on to the next mass shooting.  Little kids.  😞

😢