Following the tragic shooting in Buffalo, New York; in which a white teenager intentionally targeted Black people as his victims; a civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump; urged President Joe Biden to act on an anti-Black hate crime bill.
According to The Guardian; attorney Benjamin Crump; is now representing one of the families of the victims killed by 18-year-old; Payton Gendron. He is now officially representing the family of Ruth Whitfield, 86; who was killed in the weekend shooting.
Whitfield was one of 10 people killed; when the white supremacist; targeted Black victims at the Tops Supermarket on Saturday. And Crump demands that authorities treat this as an “act of domestic terrorism.”
“We can’t sugarcoat it; we can’t try to explain it away; talking about mental illness.” No, this was an act of domestic terrorism; perpetrated by a young white supremacist.”
Read more: Payton Gendron Pleads Not Guilty To 1st Degree Murder Charge In Racial Mass Shooting
Anti-Black Hate Bill; The George Floyd Justice In Policing Bill
Benjamin Crump; has also stated that; this means that; federal legislators must now pass; the George Floyd Justice in Policing Bill; which is currently before Congress. The bill is currently stalled; and he believes that the president; must use his influence to ensure that it is signed.
“Black America; is suffering right now,” he said. “And we need to know that; our top leader in America; reacts and responds when we are hurt.”
While the president and his wife were in Buffalo yesterday; the US Justice Department; is looking into the incident as; a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism.
Erie County Sheriff, John Garcia; revealed that Gendron was visited by state police last year after completing a high school project about murder-suicides. Buffalo police have also stated that; they are investigating a 180-page manifesto that Gendron wrote and posted; which references racist replacement theories.
On Monday; Buffalo Police Commissioner, Joseph Gramaglia; revealed that; Gendron planned to drive to another Tops Friendly Markets location.
“He was going to get in his car; and drive down Jefferson Avenue; and do the same thing.” The commissioner explained.
Our hearts go out to the families of all victims.
