The Tops Friendly Market, which was the site of a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, in May, held a moment of silence and prayer to “honor and respect all victims and impacted associates, and community members,” on Thursday, a day before the supermarkets reopening.
Community members, local politicians, and business leaders spoke at the hour-long ceremony held outside the supermarket two months after Payton Gendron, 18, arrived at the store with ammunition and the “express purpose” of killing Black people, according to authorities. The attack killed ten people and injured three others.
Tops said in a news release that the supermarket has been fully renovated since the deadly attack and has added new security measures such as enhanced video monitoring systems, an emergency evacuation alarm system, and additional emergency exits.
After a moment of silence and remarks from speakers such as Tops Friendly Markets President John Persons and New York Attorney General Letitia James, African American Cultural Center Interim Director Jackie Mines brought the ceremony to a close by introducing a contemporary dance performance that “emphasized healing.”
The United States Department of Justice has charged Gendron with multiple federal hate crimes, some of which carry the death penalty. The mass shooter was also indicted by a state grand jury, and he has pleaded not guilty. He has been in police custody since the attack.
Following the deadly attack, Tops Friendly Markets disclosed that it would be closed “until further notice.” Store officials at the time stated that they were “unable to speak to a timeline for reopening” because the store was “an active law enforcement investigation site,” but said that they were “committed to reopening up this community store.”
“When the time is right for all of us, we will reopen our doors on Jefferson Avenue. Until then, we remain here with you and for you in every way we possibly can,” store officials stated on May 18.
According to WKBW, John Persons said the store location on Jefferson Avenue has had its products and equipment emptied and restocked since the shooting. Employees who no longer feel comfortable returning to the location will be able to work at other locations, according to WKBW.
