Fort Erie mayor decries ‘racially motivated’ shooting in Buffalo
Published May 16, 2022 at 4:35 pm
Fort Erie and Buffalo are ‘across the Peace Bridge’ neighbours and when one community is in pain, the other side feels it.
The shock from the horrific shooting in a Buffalo predominantly black neighborhood grocery store yesterday (May 15) that left 10 innocent people dead was felt strongly on this side of the Niagara River, as well.
The shooter, an 18-year-old white man, committed a heinous act that officials called an act of “racially motivated violent extremism.”
“The evidence that we have uncovered so far makes no mistake this is an absolute racist hate crime that will be prosecuted as a hate crime,” Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told reporters on Sunday.
On the Fort Erie side, Mayor Wayne Redekop decried the hate crime in no uncertain terms.
“The residents of Fort Erie are shocked and horrified at the senseless shooting of innocent people in Buffalo. The knowledge that the shooter was racially motivated is extremely troubling. There is no place for hate and racism in our societies,” said Redekop.
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“We grieve with the families of those killed and maimed yesterday, and all residents of the City of Good Neighbours.”
Redekop added that we all have “an obligation to speak out against and oppose the ideologies that promote hate, racism and discrimination. There are close family ties between our two communities, as well as deep friendships
among our residents and those of Buffalo.”
Redekop further explained the closeness of the two cities, adding, “In many respects, we are one community, connected by our history, geography and culture. This type of incident has an impact on all of us on both sides of the border.”
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