Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Aaron Salter Jr. has been considered a hero for the actions he took that cost him his life during the mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue back on May 14.
The retired Buffalo Police Officer was working as a security guard at the supermarket that fateful Saturday when an 18-year-old gunman carried out his racially motivated attack on Buffalo's East Side community. The 55-year-old was able to exchange gunfire with the shooter, but the rounds fired made no impact on the gunman with him wearing tactical body armor during the shooting.
Despite being one of 10 people to lose their lives during the shooting, Salter's actions may have helped save the lives of more people that day.
10 days after the tragic shooting, many in the local community got the chance to pay their respects to Salter at a wake service was held at the Amigone Funeral Home on Delaware Avenue.
"The tragedy of May 14 is continuing on with the wakes of all of the victims of that terrible massacre. We are paying our respects to everyone," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia after joining Salter's family in the funeral home. "We're here to pay our respects to Officer Aaron Salter, a true hero who saved lives. He's responsible for saving lives on that day."
Although Salter was a retired police officer, Gramaglia says the Buffalo Police Department will pay tribute to Salter by giving him a full line of duty death honors.
"We are going to see him off for his family with every honor that this police department and the city can give him," Gramaglia said. "It's very important that we all come out here and pay our respects to all the victims, and our police department also in everything we can do for Aaron.
"We are treating Aaron as though he were an on-duty officer for his courageous actions that day, and we will provide a full line of duty death honors."
While Commissioner Gramaglia did not know Salter as well as some other officers, he says his loss is personal to all members of the force. However, Gramaglia knows his legacy will live on for the actions he took.
"He saved lives. We talk about first responders running towards dangers, running towards gunfire, doing what they can. He demonstrated he did it. I mean, in no uncertain terms, he did it, and he saved lives as a result of that."
"He encourages and gives hope to our officers on the job, and it just exemplifies what this job is about," said First Deputy Commissioner Barbara Lark of Salter on Tuesday. "Unfortunately, he did have to pay the ultimate sacrifice, his life."
Lark knew Salter well during their time together in the Buffalo Police Department. She says she will always remember Salter for being a good-natured, good-hearted individual.
"Just his gentle demeanor. He was really a no nonsense person," Lark said. "Not pretentious in any way, just came to work, did his job. I can still see his smile, I can still remember the way he nodded his head to the side and some of his famous words were, 'Is that right?' And he's just smiling. You make a comment and he'd shake his head to the side and say, 'Is that right?' Just a nice guy."
While the Salter family losses a husband, a father, and a son, Lark also knows the Buffalo Police Department and the rest of the community will feel his loss. It is that reason why she feels it was important for many members atop the Buffalo Police chain of command to show the Salter family of their support.
As Lark remembers her former colleague as being a plain, simple, down to Earth kind of person, she also recalls some of the lighter moments they had working in the E District of Buffalo.
"He also drove a huge RV and would park it in the E District parking lot. Space is very limited there, but he would park that huge RV in our parking lot. We would fuss at him and we'd say, 'Aaron, why are you taking up all of our parking spots?' He'd just smile, and he continued to park it every day that he worked. So he didn't listen to us."
Salter leaves behind his wife of 33 years, Kimberly, as well as his three children - daughters Latisha, Tanya and son Aaron Salter III.
Funeral services for Salter will be held Wednesday afternoon before he is entombed at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
