The Tops supermarket on Jefferson Ave. in Buffalo that was the site of a racially motivated mass shooting there in May that killed 10 people will reopen on Friday.
There will also be a moment of silence and prayer on Friday to honor the victims and store employees who were impacted by that shooting.
News of the reopening came Monday, the same day that there was a White House ceremony to mark the passage of recent gun control legislation.
Speakers at the Washington, D.C. event included Garnell Whitfield Jr., whose 86-year-old mother Ruth Whitfield was among those shot and killed in that attack on Black shoppers.
“My family, our families and our community are devastated,” Whitfield said. “But their intent to divide us and to propagate further violence within our community has failed miserably. For we have instead chosen to love over hate, to speak out, rather than stay silent.”
Whitfield said that people in Buffalo are grateful for the new legislation, but he said it is only the first step and more attention on issues surrounding domestic terrorism need to be addressed.
President Joe Biden repeated his call on Congress to pass a federal ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines — or at minimum to require more stringent background checks and training before purchases.
He also said Congress should pass legislation to hold gun owners legally accountable if their weapons are improperly stored and are used to commit violence. He noted that he owns four shotguns and said he keeps them secured at his home.
“We can’t just stand by," Biden said. " With rights come responsibilities. If you own a weapon, you have a responsibility to secure it and keep it under lock and key."
This story includes reporting by the Associated Press.
