Buffalo Shows Love and Encouragement On 3rd Anniversary of 5/14

What many thought would be a sad day turned into an encouraging display of love and collaboration as thousands of New Yorkers flocked to Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo to honor those who lost their lives and received serious injuries during the mass shooting that took place in Buffalo just three years ago.

In the early afternoon hours on May 14, 2022, a white supremacist drove across the Empire State to commit a horrific act of domestic terrorism. When he was done with his rampage in Buffalo's Kingsley neighborhood, 10 people lay dead, three suffered serious injuries, and an entire community was left traumatized.

Since then, the people of Buffalo, New York, have been working hard to rebuild our community. During the ceremonies on the third anniversary of that tragedy, you could see how far we've come, but it was also clear how far we have to go.

Buffalo Shows Love and Encouragement On 3rd Anniversary of 5/14

The 5/14 Day of Service and Remembrance brought tons of people to the neighborhood to honor the lives impacted and take steps to make Buffalo better.

All over the neighborhood, you could find people showing gratitude, cleaning up parks and the general neighborhood, upgrading community gardens, distributing food, helping to fix bicycles, and just fellowshipping and encouraging people.

During the day, several people came to speak to the people on Jefferson. They included John Persons, the CEO of Tops Markets, New York's Secretary of State Walter Mosley, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Erie County Legislator Taisha St. Jean Tard, and more.

This community did not allow those difficulties to tarnish its spirit or hollow out its collective soul with bitterness or rage. This community turned pain into purpose and purpose into power.
-Letitia James, New York State Attorney General

The neighborhood was filled with the kind of love and support that Buffalo is known for. Buffalo should make sure that we never forget these names:

• Aaron Salter Jr.,
• Celestine Chaney,
• Roberta A. Drury,
• Andre Mackneil,
• Katherine Massey,
• Margus D. Morrison,
• Heyward Patterson,
• Geraldine Talley,
• Ruth Whitfield,
• Pearl Young.

You can check out the photo gallery from the day of service and remembrance if you missed it.