BUFFALO, NY (WBEN) Monday marks a day of remembrance throughout the city of Buffalo to mark six months since the mass shooting at Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue when a gunman killed ten people and injured three others in a racially motivated attack.
"A number of tributes are planned to mark the day," said Mayor Byron Brown
on WBEN. "I have asked all houses of worship to toll their bells thirteen times at 2:30pm." Brown specifically thanked the Catholic Diocese for their partnership in that.
In addition, flags are being flown at half staff. Brown said he has directed the dome at city hall to be lit in orange, in memory of the victims of the mass shooting. Orange is the color of gun violence prevention. Buffalo's landmark illumination team (LIT) has also been requested to light local landmarks in orange.
"I am also asking people throughout the community to pause for a moment of reflection at 2:30pm," said the mayor.
Brown said in many ways, East Buffalo is a different community today.
"The community has gone through tremendous trauma. People are in different stages of healing," added the mayor. "The store reopened and offering more in the way of products and services than ever before. There have been massive amounts of investment coming into the community from federal, state, city and county government."
Brown said what Monday's remembrance represents, is that "none of us will ever forget 5-14, and the precious lives that were lost and those that were injured that day."
Plans for a permanent memorial honoring the victims of the tragedy were announced in October.
"We have named members of the 5-14 memorial commission," said the mayor, "which will be headed by the Reverend Mark Blue, head of the NAACP."
The planning of the memorial continues to move forward, with hopes that more will be announced in the near future, including the siting location.
