Council eyes crackdown on stores accused of selling Tops shooting donations: 'People are exploiting our grief'

The warning follows reports from constituents about merchants exploiting various programs by receiving free food and supplies meant for residents and then selling them in their stores, members said.

“I think it is absolutely disgusting," said Masten Council Member Ulysees O. Wingo Sr. "I think it is an atrocity that people are literally exploiting our grief and our pain.” 

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“Many of us have been called about the stores allegedly selling items that were given to them to help people after the massacre,” said Council President Darius G. Pridgen. “It is definitely immoral. It is definitely reprehensible.”

Individuals, organizations, businesses and churches from across the county have donated loads of food as well as personal care and cleaning items after 10 people – all Black – were gunned down May 14 at the Tops grocery store on Jefferson Avenue by a self-described racist. Officials said the accused shooter chose the street, the community and its 14208 ZIP code for the murderous rampage because the area is home to so many Black people.

A couple of the stores singled out for criticism have denied the allegations.

Adam Hassan, an employee of Langfield Food and Meat Market on Weston Avenue, said he is aware of the allegations made on Facebook against the store. But the claims are untrue, he said Tuesday.

“I heard a couple of customers tell me that. We would never sell any donated food,” Hassan said. “It never happened.”

Cold Spring Market and Deli on Jefferson Avenue, across the street from the Tops, was also accused of selling donated goods.

Two workers at the Cold Spring Market called the rumors false. They did not want to give their names because of threats made on their lives because of the allegations, but they said there is no proof to the claims, which they believe were started by people who were kicked out of the store previously.

“All lies. We’ve been bashed on the internet as far as social media. None of it is true," said one of the employees. "It’s just all assumptions and just hearsay. He said, she said. Word travels, but it’s false.” 

“Not true at all 100%,” said the other, adding the store owner held two cookouts and provided free food to the community after the incident and also gave away bottled water and ice.

Pridgen sponsored a resolution last week seeking an opinion from the city's corporation counsel on whether it is illegal for businesses to sell donated items. If it is not already illegal, the Council wants to draft legislation to make it so.

A resolution from Wingo directs the city’s Permits and Inspections Department to conduct regular inspections of all food stores “within a reasonable radius of the Jefferson Avenue Tops” and to suspend the food store license, pending a hearing, of any business found to be selling donated products that were intended to be free of charge.

“This was written in direct response to the myriad of phone calls we received in the Masten District office,” Wingo said. “What we have come to realize – and what folks have said that they have eyewitnessed – is that folks are going and taking advantage of the free food that’s being given away, the free food that was given and intended to be consumed for free, the free food that was intended to try and make a broken community whole again by showing up where there was a gap or need, which was food, and there are folks who are exploiting the pain of our community. There are folks who are exploiting the massacre that occurred on the 14th and because of this it has caused an outcry in our community from eyewitnesses.”

University Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt cautioned about taking hearsay as fact.

“We have to be careful in giving people information,” he said. “I do know that there was someone that lives in my district that saw a particular store doing the selling. When you have the eyewitness, that’s one thing. But then there are people saying other things, so it’s something we have to be careful about. I’m glad to see that we’re getting the information, the right facts so people understand the facts. If it’s something that’s illegal, then we have to make sure that people are aware of it.”

“People are taking ownership of their communities,” Pridgen added. “And they’re angry when they see or even think that somebody is taking advantage of situations that should benefit people who are struggling and in trauma.”