President Biden said Sunday that hate “remains a stain on the soul of America” in the wake of a mass shooting in New York that is being investigated as a hate crime.
Biden made the remarks during a speech tributing fallen police officers during the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, which came a day after a gunman killed ten people, including a retired police officer, at a grocery store in Buffalo.
“A lone gunman armed with weapons of war and a hate-filled soul shot and killed 10 innocent people in cold blood at a grocery store on Saturday afternoon,” Biden said. “Jill and I, like all of you, pray for the victims and the families and a devastated community. I’ve been receiving updates from my team in the White House that’s in close contact with the Justice Department.
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“We’re still gathering the facts, but the Justice Department has publicly stated that it is investigating the matter as a hate crime, a racially motivated act of white supremacy and violent extremism,” he continued. “As they do, we must all work together to address the hate that remains a stain on the soul of America. Hearts are heavy once again, but our resolve must never waver. No one understands this more than the people sitting in front of me – moms, dads, children, family members— about how those folks in Buffalo feel today when they got the call.
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“Jill and I know we have some idea how hard it is,” he added. “But I promise you, the day will come when the memory of your loved one – when you open that closet door and you smell the scent, or you go by that park you used to walk in, or you hear that song – the day will come when it will bring a smile to you lips before it brings a tear to your eyes.”
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Retired Buffalo Police officer Aaron Salter is being hailed as a “hero” by Buffalo’s police department after he was killed at Tops Markets grocery store while trying to protect others from the suspected gunman, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, on Saturday afternoon.
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Authorities said Sunday that Gendron likely planned out his racially motivated attack for months, leading to a roughly 180-page manifesto Gendron posted before going on his rampage.
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Gendron identified himself as a White supremacist in his manifesto, detailing at length his concerns that other races are replacing white people.
Gendron pled not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in court on Saturday evening. He is being detained without bail and faces life in prison. He is due back in court on Thursday for a felony hearing.