BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Ten days after the deadly mass shooting at the Buffalo Tops market, on Jefferson Avenue, the I-Team is working to get more information about the suspect, the store and the police response.
Despite eyewitnesses explaining they encountered the shooting suspect, the day before the mass shooting at Tops and his strange behavior, the 7 News I-Team has discovered police were never called to Tops the day before the shooting.
In digging for records, the I-Team has learned the first call about the shooting was made on Saturday, May 14, at 2:30 p.m. A second call was made nine seconds later. That call was for shots fired.
The police response was swift. We're told police arrived at the Jefferson Avenue scene in one minute.
But the I-Team has also discovered Buffalo police have been called to this store many times before.
Between January, 2021 and the middle of last week, there were 144 calls for service. That includes Saturday's shooting and one prior call for shots fired in October, 2021.
The majority of those calls for service, 114 in total, were made in 2021.
In light of the Saturday shooting, the I-Team has formally requested police reports, arresting documents and body camera video showing the arrest of the suspect.
Each of those requests were denied.
In their denial, Buffalo police explain the
...homicide unit is actively working on this case, therefore no information can be provided at this time.
The I-Team is now appealing this denial and is working with local lawyers to get access to this documentation.
