The white man who fatally shot three Black people in a racist attack at a Florida store shot one of his victims as she sat in her car, chased another through the store and shot the third as he entered, Jacksonville’s sheriff said Sunday.

Shooter Ryan Palmeter, 21, legally purchased his guns in recent months even though he had been involuntarily committed for a mental health examination in 2017, Sheriff T.K. Waters said. Officials say he killed himself after killing his three victims.

The attack in Jacksonville is reminding some of what the Buffalo community experienced last May, after 10 Black people were fatally shot in a racially motivated attack at a Tops supermarket.

The shooting sparked conversations surrounding hateful and racist ideologies perpetuated online and the ongoing issue of gun violence. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences on Sunday, and called on Florida leaders to take steps similar to what New York has done to curb the violence:

“Another American city is in mourning today after the latest racially-motivated mass shooting. A gunman with hate in his heart used a deadly firearm to unleash death and destruction in Jacksonville. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and the entire Jacksonville community. 

“Sadly, New Yorkers know this feeling all too well. Last year’s massacre of ten Buffalo residents was disturbingly similar to this shooting in Jacksonville: a gunman motivated by racism, a weapon of war used to massacre innocent people, and a community torn apart. 

“After the Buffalo massacre, New York took action to curb gun violence and prevent these acts of terror. We raised the age to buy a semiautomatic rifle, strengthened our red flag laws, and required social media companies to improve their responses to hateful comments on their platforms. Florida’s leaders must do the same.”

Buffalo attorney Terry Connors has been heavily involved in the litigation that followed Buffalo's tragedy and joined Spectrum News 1 anchor Robert Guaderrama.

Connors discusses his reaction to the latest shooting, and how his part in litigation that followed the Buffalo shooting further emphasizes the changes he and the victim's family members want to see to prevent future tragedies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.