Hochul pledges pursuit of justice after shooting, calls on sites to crack down on white supremacist content

Gov. Kathy Hochul took aim at white supremacist ideology and its online promoters Saturday in the wake of a mass shooting at a Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue, allegedly perpetrated by an 18-year-old white suspect dressed in military camouflage.

“It’s hard to know what to say. This is my community,” Hochul said during a news conference held inside the Apollo Theater, 1346 Jefferson Ave., less than a block from where 13 people were shot by the suspect, 10 of them fatally in what Hochul described as a “wonderful, tight-knit neighborhood.”

“To see the sense of security shattered by an individual, a white supremacist who has engaged in an act of terrorism – and will be prosecuted as such – in a cold-hearted, cruel, calculating way engage in a military-style execution, targeting people who simply wanted to buy groceries in a neighborhood store, it strikes us in our very heart to know that there’s such evil that lurks out there,” Hochul said.

She promised that there will be an aggressive pursuit of justice in the case. The governor also decried a “feeding frenzy” of race-based hatred promoted on various social media sites, and said the owners of such sites need to be more vigilant in monitoring their social media content. Hochul also expressed dismay the shooter’s actions could be livestreamed on social media platforms and not be taken down within seconds.

Hochul said owners of such sites have a moral, ethical and, she hopes, legal responsibility, “because this is the result when you have individuals who use the platforms and talk to others who share these demented views,” Hochul said.

“It has to end right here and that is my message. We will continue to work with our federal, state and local community partners to help identify these messages as soon as they arise on social media. That is our best defense right now, as well as the legal system and prosecution,” said Hochul.

“And it is my sincere hope that this individual, this white supremacist who just perpetrated a hate crime on an innocent community, will spend the rest of his days behind bars,” she added.

The governor’s sentiments were echoed by other officials attending the news conference, including U.S. Attorney Trini Ross and Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn, who announced that the suspect was arraigned on a first-degree murder charge.

“Justice is being done right now and justice will be done,” said Flynn.

Stephen Belongia, special agent-in-charge at the FBI Buffalo Office, said the FBI is conducting a parallel investigation with its local and state partners.

“We are aggressively investigating this on a federal level as a hate crime and an instance of racially motivated extremism,” Belongia said.

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