“I’m not going to elaborate… but we know that his plan,had he gotten out of there successfully,was to leave there and continue on with his carnage,” Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said at a press conference today.
“We have also confirmed that the individual was here a couple of months ago in early March. So at this point,like I said,it will be a lengthy investigation.”
News that Gendron had been scoping out the supermarket in advance,and had also planned to continue shooting black people along Jefferson Avenue,added to the anger and heartbreak of local residents trying desperately to process Saturday’s massacre.
Outside Tops,which is now an FBI crime scene,local charities set up food stalls to feed the mostly black neighbourhood amid fears that the area - which heavily relies on the supermarket - has now become a “food desert”.
“We’ve been out here since Saturday,giving out food to let the community know we support them,” said Sandra Dukes,from the charity Peacemakers,as she hands out pizza,hot dogs and plastic bags filled with non-perishable items.
A few meters down,other locals lament the lack of action over gun reform - an issue they hope US president Joe Biden will address when he and first lady Jill Biden visit the area tomorrow to meet the families of the victims.