Biden told reporters earlier Sunday that he had “yet” not spoken to the victims’ families and was “trying to schedule” a trip to the area. He also spoke by telephone with New York Democratic Gov. Katie Hochul on Sunday.
Biden expressed his condolences to the families during his speeches Sunday at the National Peacekeepers’ Memory Service and said he received regular briefings from his team.
“We are still gathering the facts, but the Ministry of Justice has already stated publicly that it is investigating the issue as a hate crime, a racially motivated act of white supremacy and violent extremism. As they do, we must all work together to tackle the hatred that remains a stain on America’s soul. “Our hearts are heavy again, but our determination must never waver,” the president said Sunday.
An 18-year-old man suspected of setting fire to a Tops Friendly Markets store in a predominantly black neighborhood told authorities he was targeting the black community, according to an official familiar with the investigation. The alleged gunman made alarming statements describing his motives and state of mind after his arrest, the official said. He traveled hours from another New York City district and broadcast the attack live on the social media platform Twitch.
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the mass shooting “as a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism,” according to a statement from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The FBI is supporting the investigation, said Stephen Belongia, a special agent in charge of the FBI’s field office in Buffalo, at a news conference after the shooting.
Saturday’s Buffalo massacre was the latest mass shooting in which authorities said the suspect was motivated by hatred, including attacks at Walmart in El Paso, Texas; the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue; Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.
Biden condemned the Buffalo shooting in a statement Saturday night.
“Every act of domestic terrorism, including an act committed in the name of a disgusting white nationalist ideology, contradicts everything we stand for in America,” he said. “Hate must not have a safe haven. We must do everything in our power to put an end to hateful domestic terrorism. “
This story has been updated with additional details.
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