Buffalo grocery store gunman allegedly searched zip code to target mostly Black area for mass shooting

The suspect in the Buffalo, New York grocery store mass shooting on Saturday allegedly searched for zip codes in predominantly Black areas so he could target the most Black individuals in his carefully-planned attack.

Payton Gendron, the 18 year old white male suspect, allegedly used demographic information he obtained online to determine the exact place he would carry out his shooting, which according to his lengthy online writings, was in retaliation for what he believes is a “genocide” of white culture.

He wrote in detail for 180 pages about his belief in a conspiracy theory that non-white races are seeking to wipe out the white population.

Officials said on Sunday the gunman had arrived in the Buffalo area from Conklin, about 200 miles away, to scout the area and plan the attack.

Gendron shot four people in the parking lot of the Tops grocery store before entering the store and shooting more, including the security guard. He surrendered to authorities in the vestibule of the store, after officers convinced him to remove his gun from his own neck.

The teenage suspect is being held without bail and was arraigned on Saturday wearing a paper gown and charged with first degree murder.

The shooting is one of four high-profile mass shootings across the United States this weekend. A series of Friday night shootings in Milwaukee left 3 people dead and many more injured. A church shooting in Orange County, California on Sunday left 1 dead and 4 critically wounded, and a flea market shooting in Houston killed 2 and injured 3. 

“Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims of this harrowing tragedy,” said Deb Antoniades, a volunteer with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action.

“Going to the supermarket shouldn’t include the threat of gun violence. This horrific shooting further underscores the urgent need for action to combat this crisis devastating New York communities. While we await details on the incident, we will continue to fight for a safer state for us all.”