New York Attorney General Letitia James' office launched a probe Wednesday into various social media companies over their connection and oversight of discussions that led to the horrific shooting in Buffalo on Saturday that killed 10 people and injured three.

Gov. Kathy Hochul sent a referral to the attorney general to investigate how the 18-year-old shooter, Payton Gendron, used social media to spread white supremacist beliefs and exploit his fatal attack. 

"Publicly available information suggests that the alleged perpetrator was active on social media, especially on sites used by white supremacists threatening violence," Hochul wrote in her referral to the attorney general. 

The attorney general's office immediately started the investigation into social media platforms Twitch, 4chan, 8chan and Discord, which the shooter used to stream, promote or plan his attack.

“The terror attack in Buffalo has once again revealed the depths and danger of the online forums that spread and promote hate," James said. “The fact that an individual can post detailed plans to commit such an act of hate without consequence, and then stream it for the world to see is bone-chilling and unfathomable. As we continue to mourn and honor the lives that were stolen, we are taking serious action to investigate these companies for their roles in this attack. Time and time again, we have seen the real-world devastation that is borne of these dangerous and hateful platforms, and we are doing everything in our power to shine a spotlight on this alarming behavior and take action to ensure it never happens again.”

Gendron livestreamed video on his Twitch social media feed Saturday, starting with his arrival to the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue, opening fire in the parking lot and inside the store.

A spokesperson with Twitch, owned by Amazon, on Saturday said the shooter broadcast live, but there was no known video on demand. The stream was removed fewer than two minutes after the violence started.

Gendron wrote a 180-page manifesto detailing his racist beliefs that motivated the killings and how social media sites exposed him to violent rhetoric and attacks, fueling his radicalization. The document has been widely circulated on various social media platforms since Saturday's tragedy.

"The alleged perpetrator’s manifesto bore the marks of similar writings of other violent white supremacists, including the El Paso and New Zealand killers, which have circulated on platforms on the Interne," Hochul wrote in her referral. "We need to respect individual First Amendment rights, but when individuals use online platforms to promote and plan violence, it raises questions about the role of social media platforms in the promotion of the violence. These questions need to be answered."

The state attorney general can investigate any public peace, public safety or public justice matters with the power to subpoena witnesses and produce documents under state Executive Law.

The governor announced the state probe into the social media platforms in the wake of Saturday's violence during a press conference in New York City on Wednesday afternoon. At the event, Hochul signed two executive orders to require police to issue an Extreme Risk Order of Protection against people who pose a threat to themseles or others under the state's Red Flag Law and to impose stricter regulations for modified weapons.

Twitch teams monitor the service for content, and will work with law enforcement as needed, a Twitch spokesperson said Saturday.

“We are devastated to hear about the shooting that took place this afternoon in Buffalo, New York," Twitch said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the community impacted by this tragedy. Twitch has a zero-tolerance policy against violence of any kind and works swiftly to respond to all incidents. The user has been indefinitely suspended from our service, and we are taking all appropriate action, including monitoring for any accounts rebroadcasting this content."