Elected officials, new ‘Honor Space’ mark second anniversary of racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the fatal mass shooting at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo’s predominantly Black Cold Springs neighborhood, where 10 lives ended violently at the hands of white supremacist Payton Gendron. The then-19-year-old drove more than three hours to the site on Buffalo’s East Side after researching for a location with a high concentration of Black people. Gendron was sentenced to life without parole. Buffalo, meanwhile, has come up with healing ways to face one of the worst days in its history. Tops cordoned off a section of its parking lot at the corners of Jefferson Avenue and Landon Street, where it unveiled what it is calling an “Honor Space.” Temperatures rose to the 70s and rain held off until well after the dinner hour. The space was opened to the public in the afternoon after the fanfare.& A sculpture titled Unity was unveiled Tuesday, May 14, 2024, as Buffalo, New York, marked the second anniversary of a racially motivated mass shooting that killed 10 shoppers and employees at a Tops supermarket. The sculpture is part of the newly constructed 5/14 Tops Honor Space in front of the store. Photo credit: Carolyn Thompson, The...