BUFFALO, N.Y. — With all eyes of the nation on Buffalo, many believe the community’s resilient spirit is what brought President Joe Biden to the city on Tuesday to pay tribute to victims of Saturday’s mass shooting.
"He’s coming here to see what’s going on because I guess he picked up on it unconsciously or subconsciously; I’m not sure," said Buffalo resident Aaron Jordan. "I know he picked up on something, so he came here to see what’s up to modify with us so we all could change the world together since Buffalo is like the main thing."
What You Need To Know
- City residents lined the streets of Jefferson Avenue on Tuesday in anticipation of President Joe Biden's visit to Tops Supermarket, where a mass shooting took place on May 14
- Some community members hope the national attention that Buffalo is receiving will bring aid to the city's community
- Members of Buffalo's Black community continue to reflect on the trauma caused by a racially motivated attack
Many are still shaken by what only happened three days ago, like Renneitha Cottom, whose cousin was close to becoming the shooter’s eleventh victim.
"She had a gun put to her head right before the cops came in," Cottom said. "She has a burn mark on her head. Her and her daughter are forever traumatized, along with other family members that were in the Tops. It’s funny because my son just quit and I put him on punishment for quitting, and this happened."
Some hoped the president’s visit would address the community’s greatest needs at the moment, while others fear nothing will change, even after such an impactful event.
"Ask these people what they need; what resources do they need? Counseling, anything, transportation for food—ask us what we need. You can’t come up with a solution if you don’t know the problem," Cottom said.
"It’s always going to be talk until they actually put the plan into action and do something," said Steve Mackie, a Buffalo native who lives and owns a business near the Tops Supermarket on Jefferson Avenue. "We’re trying to come together and be as one great people, but they’re not gonna do it."
As many continue to process the pain, what members of Buffalo’s Black community want most at this time, from President Biden and others, are to be acknowledged with fairness and respect.
"If you don’t deal with the issues that we deal with on a daily basis, then nothing changes. So, you know, the message is to love one another. This is not to separate us. It’s to treat us all the same," Cottom said.
