BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — As the Buffalo community nears one year since the devastating Tops mass shooting, city officials were back in the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood Wednesday for its annual Clean Sweep.
"We are in a week where we're about to recognize a very somber anniversary. A very tragic period in the life our city — probably the darkest day in the history of our city,” declared Mayor Byron Brown.
Mayor Brown standing just blocks away from where a proclaimed white supremacist came to Buffalo last May to murder black members of our community— killing ten and injuring three.
The city kicked off a new 2023 Clean Sweep season in the Jefferson neighborhood.
After last year's mass shooting, Clean Sweep came into this Jefferson Avenue community six times and was back once again sending a message that they will not be forgotten.
“Today we're back sending the message that we will not forget this community. We will continue to link arms with the community, our community and we will continue to lift this part of our city up, working together,” stated Brown.
This clean sweep was packed with volunteers from community partners to Tops Markets — all to help the city fight what they say is the "war on blight and crime”.
They removed garbage, mowed grass along vacant lots, and used heavy equipment to remove large debris— to hone in on a neighborhood with difficult challenges and inequities.
@MayorByronBrown Impact Team out on the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood with a “clean sweep” to fight blight & crime. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/qdNelncD3r
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) May 10, 2023
"I've been part of this for 17 years since I was on patrol and I'm excited. I'm excited each time we come here because we leave the communities in a lot better shape than when it was started,” Alfonso Wright, deputy police commissioner, City of Buffalo.
But while the Clean Sweep continued, I went to Jefferson Avenue to talk with some people asking if they think enough has changed one year since the mass shooting to give them more equality.
“I don't think too much has changed. The community is bad,” replied Barbara Gibbs, a resident. “We don't see too much improvement around here.”
Gibbs tells me she feels her community remains in “limbo."
“We do need help,” noted Gibbs. “I think we need some change over there, you know, the stores — everything — the corner stores — the housing — it's just terrible."
Charlene Wallace also lives in the nearby neighborhood of Jefferson Avenue.
“Has anything changed for you living in this community?” Buckley asked. “Just that they have a business right there to help people get jobs and help start foundations and stuff like that, but mostly the store changed — they hired a lot more ethnic people. and different colored people. It's calmed down a little bit, but it's still kind of violent,” responded Wallace.
These residents tell me they want to see the mayor visiting their neighborhood regularly — not just for special events and a Clean Sweep.
Nearly a year ago Governor Kathy Hochul said $50 million would be given to East Buffaloto boost the local economy.
I asked the mayor when we can expect to see that funding.
“And I would say in the next few weeks or two months, we will begin to see money flowing from the governor's commitment to east Buffalo,” Brown answered.
