Buffalo mayor: Police patrols increased near mass shooting scene, in other parts of city

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said Monday that police presence has been ramped up around the city following a mass shooting on Saturday that left 10 dead.

“​​You can’t police your way out of these feelings,” Brown told NBC News Monday morning as his city mourns those killed. “But we have increased police patrol, not only in this immediate neighborhood, but in other areas of the city.”

“This was a racially motivated attack and it is scary to know that that kind of racism and hate still exists in our country,” he added. “And unfortunately we’ve seen too many of these mass shootings for different reasons, so when something like this happens, it really shakes your feelings of security and safety.”

Brown said the lone suspect, 18-year-old white male Payton Gendron, intentionally sought out a largely Black community to carry out the attack, driving nearly 200 miles from Conklin, New York.

“So I can share about the investigation that the shooter came here — it was a premeditated act — wanted to kill as many Black people as possible,” Brown said.

“If not for the heroic action of the security officer, retired Buffalo police officer, police lieutenant, he would’ve been more successful in that effort,” he added.

“And if not for the quick response of the Buffalo police department he certainly would have killed more people in this immediate area.”

The shooting has placed a national spotlight on the far-right conspiracy known as the great replacement theory, which was espoused by the suspected shooter in a manifesto he posted online before the attack.

The victims included a volunteer helping elderly people get groceries, a community activist who had called for gun control and a woman who ran a food pantry.