President Biden arrives in Buffalo to address mass shooting that killed 10

President Biden flew into Buffalo Tuesday morning to meet with local officials and the families of the 10 victims that were killed in Saturday's racially motivated mass shooting outside of Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue.

Biden is set to address the family members of the victims at the Delavan-Grider Community Center, as well as the media. About three dozen family members filed into the main room, including a child who looked to be under 5 years old, about 10 minutes before Biden was scheduled to speak. A woman in the front row stroked the hair of the young girl as they waited for the president's arrival to the podium.

'Evil will not win, I promise you': President Biden speaks to grieving Buffalo community

President Biden and the first lady traveled to the site of Saturday's shooting to lay flowers at the street memorial for the victims outside the Tops Markets. 

A crowd of people, some holding “Black Lives Matter” signs, gathered at the police blockade at Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street in hopes of seeing the president, but Secret Service and police kept the public a block away from where the Bidens laid their flowers.

Jamie Lash, 61, of Buffalo, came to show her support for the victims’ families.

“You know I wanted to see the president, I wanted to talk to him,” she said, adding: "Biden came here to little Buffalo to see about us and talk about racism, and I appreciate it.”

Others commented on the global scope of Saturday's shooting.

“We need to have a voice," said Buffalo resident Eugenia Washington, who witnessed Biden's visit to Tops. "This went all around the world. People need to know we’re hurting here in Buffalo."

The motorcade left Tops at about 10:15 a.m.

The president & 1st lady laid flowers at a shrine to the victims across the street from Tops market , then were joined by Gov. Hochul, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown & other city officials. #buffalo #buffaloNY #potusvisit pic.twitter.com/h6C5cF1iDl

— Janet Gramza (@JanetBfloNext) May 17, 2022

Air Force One arrived at Buffalo Niagara International Airport at about 9:30 a.m., when the president was expected to be briefed on the latest developments from the mass shooting. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer, as well as Rep. Brian Higgins, arrived with the president, while Gov. Kathy Hochul greeted them as they exited the plane. The officials joined a 30-car motorcade that departed the airport at 9:45 a.m.

I’m at Buffalo international Airport, where Air Force One has just landed. pic.twitter.com/GGKwkFZLAh

— Stephen T Watson 💉💉💉 (@buffaloscribe) May 17, 2022

About 90 minutes after the shooting in Buffalo Saturday, Biden tweeted his support for the shocked and grieving community.

"Jill and I pray for the victims, their families and devastated community from yesterday’s mass shooting in Buffalo, New York," he said. "Our hearts are heavy once again but our resolve must not waver; we must work together to address the hate that remains a stain on the soul of this nation."

Jill and I pray for the victims, their families and devastated community from yesterday’s mass shooting in Buffalo, New York. Our hearts are heavy once again but our resolve must not waver; we must work together to address the hate that remains a stain on the soul of this nation.

— President Biden (@POTUS) May 15, 2022

Later Saturday night, Biden announced on Twitter that he and the first lady would visit Buffalo Tuesday to share the community's sorrow that's stemmed from a "senseless and horrific mass shooting."

Complete coverage: 10 killed, 3 wounded in mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket

Payton S. Gendron, 18, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after shooting 13 people, killing 10, at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue Saturday afternoon. Gendron, a native of Conklin, had plotted out the attack in a 180-page racist diatribe that delved into his beliefs on White Replacement Theory, then livestreamed the shooting on Twitch, a social media platform. Of the 13 people shot, 11 were Black.

News reporters Deidre Williams, Robert J. McCarthy, Janet Gramza, Stephen T. Watson and Maki Becker contributed to this report.