Vice President Kamala Harris is speaking out after the mass shooting that took place in Buffalo, New York over the weekend.
In her address, Harris stated that the nation is facing “an epidemic of hate” after a white man purposely fatally shot Black people in a supermarket.
“Law enforcement is proceeding with its investigation, but it is clear that we are seeing an epidemic of hate across our country that has been evidenced by acts of violence and intolerance,” Harris said.
She added, “Racially-motivated hate crimes or acts of violent extremism are harms against all of us.”
According to the Buffalo Police Department, on Saturday, May 14, the suspect Payton Gendron, 18, went into the Tops Friendly Markets store armed with a military-style assault rifle and began shooting. It has been reported that investigators believe that the act was racially motivated.
Reports also state that Gendron had researched the demographics of the neighborhood and chose that particular supermarket to shoot as many Black people as possible. He shot 11 Black people and two white people on Saturday.
It has also been reported that the gunman had posted a supremacist manifesto that cited the “Great Replacement” theory, a false belief that a secret political group is working to replace white Americans with non-white people through interracial marriage, immigration, and inevitable violence.
Payton Grendon has recently pled not guilty to first-degree murder charges at his arraignment. He is currently being held without bail and is due back in court on Thursday, May 19th.