BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — More than four decades before the Tops mass shooting on Jefferson Avenue in east Buffalo the city's Black community was terrorized by a man known as the .22 Caliber Killer.
In September 1980 Joseph Christopher began his killing spree. He murdered three black men and a 14-year-old boy in a 36-hour span in Buffalo linking a more tragic history of hate crimes in Queen City.
“The fear was palpable,” reflected James Pitts, former Buffalo Common Council member.
42-years ago serial killer Christopher began killing people right here in Buffalo. He was dubbed the .22 caliber killer because of the semi-automatic rifle used in the killings.
Pitts remembers it well.
“People were trying to arm themselves in many cases. I can remember with a black leadership forum we had meetings to talk about how we could begin to protect — you know — the community,” recalls Pitts.
Christopher shot his first victim, a 14-year-old Black boy outside a Buffalo supermarket. Over the next few days, he shot three more black men dead — all in September of 1980.
“It was one of those terrible terrible circumstances among human beings that you don't ever want to have to repeat or have any experience direct experience with,” remarked Ed Cosgrove, Buffalo Attorney.
Former Erie County District Attorney Cosgrove prosecuted the case. He tells me it caused “havoc” in the Black community much like the Tops massacre.
“Buffalo has suffered enormously as a result of this, and probably there isn't any other city in the country that has had this sort of experience,” Cosgrove commented.
By October, two more victims were killed. Another man was attacked outside a Buffalo hospital and survived. He described the killer to police saying Christopher used a derogatory term before trying to kill him.
The murders of African Americans then extended into Rochester and New York City before he was captured.
Christopher attacked a total of 19, killing 12 of them.
Cosgrove recalls searching the home of Christopher's mother in Buffalo where he found shell casings linked to the killings.
“Somehow or another, her son had become twisted by whatever and he did what he did,” Cosgrove remarked.
Cosgrove’s nephew, current Erie County District Attorney John Flynn, ironically both prosecuting racially motive killings.
Cosgrove said it’s a “terrible coincidence.”
Pitts tells me in order to stop these hate crimes it has to begin with what children are being taught.
“We have to begin to get them to understand who they are, what this country is about, and also to talk about where they are going,” noted Pitts.
Pitts also noted that in comparing the two cases, he says tops were much worse. He called it a “shock" and more tragic even than the .22 caliber killings.
