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Mass shooting at Tops being investigated as a hate crime

13 people were shot in the incident, and police confirmed that ten were killed. Eleven of the victims are African American, two are white.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Law enforcement officials say the mass shooting at the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo appears to be a hate crime. 

Buffalo Police tell 2 On Your Side that 13 people were shot in the incident, and confirmed that ten were killed. Eleven of the victims were African American, two are white. Four of the victims were store employees.  

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn has called this a hate crime and says they have evidence that there was some 'racial animosity.'

"I'm not going to specifically talk about or elaborate on what exactly they are right now, but we have evidence in custody right  now that shows there is some racial component to these alleged actions," said Flynn.  

The suspect, who has been described as an 18-year-old white male, is being arraigned at this hour in Buffalo City Court.  The Associated Press has identified the suspect as Payton Gendron of Conklin, New York. 

 

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