There was a mass shooting in my city today. In my city of Buffalo, NY today, an 18-year old white man entered a grocery store in a predominantly Black community and opened fire. Ten people were killed; three others injured. 11 of the 13 victims were Black.
After hours of doomscrolling on Twitter & flipping between local news stations and CNN, I sat down to watch the Amerks’ playoff game. In a normal world, I would’ve been actively posting on Twitter, GIFing the game. I can’t do that today; I can’t sit here and go on with my normal life as if there wasn’t a mass shooting here earlier today.
Yes, sometimes sports can provide a much-needed escape from reality. But reality – life – is so much more than just sports, and especially when something like this happens in your own city… you can’t just ignore that. I can’t just ignore that.
To think that a number of people went to the grocery store today and will never come home, because of the actions of a white supremacist who drove several hours to commit a terrible act targeted at a Black community, is just unfathomable.
Quite frankly, there are no words that feel sufficient enough right now. I am angry. I am heartbroken. All of my thoughts are with the victims & their families, and for the community that has been forever changed by this attack.
Buffalo is the City of Good Neighbors, and I have no doubt that we will do our best to support those who have been impacted, however we can.