https://ift.tt/YV4dJKC least eight people have been killed in a shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
Buffalo police said earlier Saturday afternoon that the suspect was in custody.
The two officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity.
Details on the number of people shot at the Tops Friendly Market and their conditions weren’t immediately available. The suspect has not been identified.
A spokesperson for the supermarket chain did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.
The supermarket is in a predominantly Black neighborhood, about 5 kilometers north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is primarily residential, with a Family Dollar store and fire station near the store.
Police closed off the block, lined with spectators, and yellow police tape surrounded the full parking lot. Mayor Byron Brown was at the scene late Saturday afternoon and expected to address the media.
Governor Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo,” her hometown. She said state officials have offered help to local authorities.
The Erie County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that it ordered all available personnel to assist Buffalo police.
The shooting came little more than a year after a March 2021 attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people. Investigators have not released any information about why they believe the man charged in that attack targeted the supermarket.
Author webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Source : VOA