Honoring the Memory of the Victims of the Racist Buffalo Supermarket Mass Shooting on the Anniversary

Yesterday in Buffalo, New York, Zaire Goodman was thankful to see the people gathered together in his honor. This special moment happened exactly one year after he was seriously hurt from a shooting in the same parking lot at a grocery store which was done by someone who didn’t like his race.

The family and other people who were hurt by the shooting went to a service with important people from the state, their region, first responders, and religious leaders. They remembered the ten people who died and three (including Goodman) who got hurt during a shooting at Tops Friendly Market. To remember this event they closed the store on its one-year anniversary.

Josh Goodman, who was 21 years old and worked at the store, was shot while doing his job collecting shopping carts outside. He still visited the store several times afterward, even when it was getting remodeled right after the massacre happened.

He said, “I really wanted people to know that it’s ok! We don’t have to shut down the shop for a long time. Remember, this place means a lot to people living around here.”

Mayor Byron Brown said the names of all 13 victims before everyone fell silent. Then, a first responder rang a bell 13 times to signify their loss. Brown, Governor Kathy Hochul and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also spoke at this event to show their support.

“Today is a special day, it’s Mother’s Day. But unfortunately, it’s also a day that we think of those who are not with us anymore. It’s been a really tough year for all of us,” said Hochul. This week, people talked about how to stop racism and radicalization on social media platforms. Everyone was invited to come together outdoors at the gathering to reflect on everything that has happened this past year.

After the ceremony on Sunday, Goodman remembered how he got hurt and ran across the street to find help. He even called his mom while he was running. Then his mother, Zeneta Everhart, and other affected families talked to Congress about racism and gun control. They also put together events to help people who couldn’t access food when their only grocery store was closed for two months.

President Joe Biden paid tribute to those who lost their lives in Buffalo by writing an article for USA Today. He asked the government and other powerful people to find a solution, like banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, doing background checks on all gun sales, as well as taking away certain protections for gun makers. After multiple shootings, his administration was able to pass a rule on guns back in June.

In New York, it’s illegal to have guns that can hold more than 10 bullets. Over the weekend, a lot of groups and people (like Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action) held around 200 events around the country to ask Congress to make a law banning assault weapons too.

Wayne Jones, from Buffalo, whose mom passed away in the attack, is encouraging the city and its organizations to keep helping their residents even after the commemoration events are finished. He is brave enough to share his painful story and open “his wound”. After the ceremony was completed, grown-ups went to tents with resources about mental health and further support.

Rosemary Glover from Buffalo felt very sad when she realized that two people from her church ministry, Katherine Massey and Pearl Young, were victims of the shooting. She came on Sunday to make sure they’re honored and remembered by their community. Rosemary wants everyone to keep sticking together and help each other in order to heal this tragedy.

The son of Geraldine Talley, who got shot at 63 years old, put out a book on Sunday telling his experience after her death. He named the book “5/14: The Day the Devil Came to Buffalo.”

Talley said as the anniversary of his mother’s passing drawn near, that he will not let sadness and anger take over him because that would be against what his mom wanted. He thinks that going forward, he should use her memory to inspire him in fighting racism and injustice in her name.

At the remodeled store, there are two fountains and a special poem for all of the victims. A group is in charge of designing a memorial outside that everyone can visit to remember this tragedy. Over the parking lot is a special painting with one black hand and one white hand showing all people coming together in prayer.

The peaceful atmosphere was ruined when an 18-year-old guy who thought it was okay to be racist and hate any person who wasn’t like him drove over 200 miles from his home near Conklin, New York to carry out this attack.

The people who passed away apart from Chaney, Talley, Massey and Young were a group of seven special individuals: Andre Mackneil was buying a cake for his son’s third birthday; Heyward Patterson was a church deacon; Ruth Whitfield’s son worked as fire commissioner in Buffalo; Roberta Drury had come back to Buffalo to help her brother through cancer; Margus Morrison was grabbing dinner for a family movie night; and lastly Aaron Salter was an ex-police officer and now he worked as a security guard.

The gunman owned up to the crime of murder and other charges, so a judge gave him life in prison with no chance of getting out. A separate legal case related to his terrible deed is still ongoing.