According to the Gun Violence Archive (gunviolencearchive.org), there were 690 mass shootings in 2021 with 45,113 gun violence deaths (from all causes) and 40,609 injuries. In 2022, there were 646 mass shootings with 44, 327 deaths and 38, 581 injuries.
In a mass shooting event, it’s often people unknown to the shooter who are brutally murdered. These are innocent people going about the normal activities of their lives, like attending school, church, concerts, and shopping. These are innocent people similar to your own daughters and sons, your mothers and fathers, your grandmothers and grandfathers.
When the mass shootings occur, we all feel heartbroken, express our grief and dismay, and send “thoughts and prayers.” Then, we let it slide from our daily thoughts and carry on with our lives. These acts of violence have happened so often that there is a danger that we will become desensitized to the brutality and horror.
One of the 600+ mass shootings in 2022 had a particularly profound impact on me. On May 14, 2022, a man who was influenced by white supremacist ideology drove 200 miles from his home to the Tops Friendly Market in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, NY. He was armed with an assault weapon and wore body armor and a camera from which he live-streamed his actions. His goal was to kill as many Black people as possible. He wrote a manifesto with racist, anti-immigrant views saying that white Americans were at risk of being replaced by people of color. Ultimately, he killed ten Black people and injured one Black person and two white people.
This was a hate crime and domestic terrorism. But, this project is not about that. I completed these portraits of the ten people who died, to rightfully focus attention on them. I am paying tribute to these ten people who were beloved by their families and their community. My goal is to humanize the victims of this horrible shooting. They were real people who loved and were loved and whose deaths have left a hole in the lives of their families and friends.
I usually draw and paint exclusively from photographs that I have taken myself. For this project, I made an exception, using photos found online that were published in newspapers and other media stories about these folks. I studied their faces, read interviews with their families, and watched video of family members testifying at the shooter’s sentencing hearing. I feel like I got to know them a little bit and have made an emotional connection with each of them. Every one of them was a lovely human being. They were warm and joyful, and they lived in service of others.
It is my honor to portray these ten people and I hope they will not be forgotten. May the loss of their spirits and vibrant energy to the epidemic of racism and gun violence in America not be in vain… Joanne
In a mass shooting event, it’s often people unknown to the shooter who are brutally murdered. These are innocent people going about the normal activities of their lives, like attending school, church, concerts, and shopping. These are innocent people similar to your own daughters and sons, your mothers and fathers, your grandmothers and grandfathers.
When the mass shootings occur, we all feel heartbroken, express our grief and dismay, and send “thoughts and prayers.” Then, we let it slide from our daily thoughts and carry on with our lives. These acts of violence have happened so often that there is a danger that we will become desensitized to the brutality and horror.
One of the 600+ mass shootings in 2022 had a particularly profound impact on me. On May 14, 2022, a man who was influenced by white supremacist ideology drove 200 miles from his home to the Tops Friendly Market in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, NY. He was armed with an assault weapon and wore body armor and a camera from which he live-streamed his actions. His goal was to kill as many Black people as possible. He wrote a manifesto with racist, anti-immigrant views saying that white Americans were at risk of being replaced by people of color. Ultimately, he killed ten Black people and injured one Black person and two white people.
This was a hate crime and domestic terrorism. But, this project is not about that. I completed these portraits of the ten people who died, to rightfully focus attention on them. I am paying tribute to these ten people who were beloved by their families and their community. My goal is to humanize the victims of this horrible shooting. They were real people who loved and were loved and whose deaths have left a hole in the lives of their families and friends.
I usually draw and paint exclusively from photographs that I have taken myself. For this project, I made an exception, using photos found online that were published in newspapers and other media stories about these folks. I studied their faces, read interviews with their families, and watched video of family members testifying at the shooter’s sentencing hearing. I feel like I got to know them a little bit and have made an emotional connection with each of them. Every one of them was a lovely human being. They were warm and joyful, and they lived in service of others.
It is my honor to portray these ten people and I hope they will not be forgotten. May the loss of their spirits and vibrant energy to the epidemic of racism and gun violence in America not be in vain… Joanne
In Memoriam…
Geraldine Talley, 62, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her fiancé, her two children, and her step-daughter
*Had a degree in secretarial science
*Loved baking and game shows
*Was an expert baker, specializing in cheesecake and carrot cake
*Described as an amazing woman, who was always the life of the party, and organized family reunions
*Loved sitting by the water
*Went shopping at Tops Supermarket with her fiancé to buy lunch meats for sandwiches
*Will be remembered as a sweet extrovert with a warm personality, who gave the best hugs
Geraldine Talley, 62, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her fiancé, her two children, and her step-daughter
*Had a degree in secretarial science
*Loved baking and game shows
*Was an expert baker, specializing in cheesecake and carrot cake
*Described as an amazing woman, who was always the life of the party, and organized family reunions
*Loved sitting by the water
*Went shopping at Tops Supermarket with her fiancé to buy lunch meats for sandwiches
*Will be remembered as a sweet extrovert with a warm personality, who gave the best hugs
In Memoriam…
Margus Morrison, 52, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by his wife, his six children, and his step-daughter
*Worked as a school bus aide, who was loved by the children riding the bus
*Considered a hero by his family because he took on lots of responsibilities and provided for his wife, who is disabled
*Loved music and the Buffalo Bills, collected sneakers
*Went to Tops Supermarket to do some shopping before visiting his mother. He never made it to see her
*Will be remembered for his love, kindness, and humor (loved to laugh and tell jokes)
Margus Morrison, 52, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by his wife, his six children, and his step-daughter
*Worked as a school bus aide, who was loved by the children riding the bus
*Considered a hero by his family because he took on lots of responsibilities and provided for his wife, who is disabled
*Loved music and the Buffalo Bills, collected sneakers
*Went to Tops Supermarket to do some shopping before visiting his mother. He never made it to see her
*Will be remembered for his love, kindness, and humor (loved to laugh and tell jokes)
In Memoriam…
Roberta Drury, 32, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her parents and five brothers and sisters
*Described as someone who enjoyed going to events with her family and making everyone in the room smile and laugh
*Dedicated her time to helping her brother with his leukemia treatment and assisting their family with running their restaurant and with babysitting
*Was shopping at Tops Supermarket for her brother and his family
*Will be remembered as a happy person with a good heart who always wanted to do the right thing
Roberta Drury, 32, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her parents and five brothers and sisters
*Described as someone who enjoyed going to events with her family and making everyone in the room smile and laugh
*Dedicated her time to helping her brother with his leukemia treatment and assisting their family with running their restaurant and with babysitting
*Was shopping at Tops Supermarket for her brother and his family
*Will be remembered as a happy person with a good heart who always wanted to do the right thing
In Memoriam…
Ruth Whitfield, 86, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her husband, her four children, her nine grandchildren, her eight great-grandchildren, and her five great-great-grandchildren
*Described as the glue that held their family together, loved them unconditionally, and sacrificed for them
*Was a good listener and non-judgmental
*Enjoyed fishing and camping, and hosting Sunday dinners with big meals
*Was a devoted parishioner at her church for 50 years and sang in the choir
*Stopped at Tops Supermarket for groceries after visiting her husband of 68 years at a nursing home
*Will be remembered as an 86-year old powerhouse, who was beautiful, loving, and unapologetically an African American princess, who taught her children to be proud of their identity
Ruth Whitfield, 86, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her husband, her four children, her nine grandchildren, her eight great-grandchildren, and her five great-great-grandchildren
*Described as the glue that held their family together, loved them unconditionally, and sacrificed for them
*Was a good listener and non-judgmental
*Enjoyed fishing and camping, and hosting Sunday dinners with big meals
*Was a devoted parishioner at her church for 50 years and sang in the choir
*Stopped at Tops Supermarket for groceries after visiting her husband of 68 years at a nursing home
*Will be remembered as an 86-year old powerhouse, who was beautiful, loving, and unapologetically an African American princess, who taught her children to be proud of their identity
In Memoriam…
Pearl Young, 77, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her three children, her ten grandchildren, and her seven great-grandchildren
*Known as a loving, compassionate person who lived a life of giving to others
*Worked as a substitute teacher for the Buffalo School District
*Taught Sunday school at her church
*Headed a local food pantry and helped run the church’s soup kitchen
*Was a licensed missionary
*Went to Tops Supermarket after attending a church service to buy chicken
*Will be remembered as a devout person of faith, who expressed her joy in church by dancing in the aisles in a lively manner
Pearl Young, 77, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her three children, her ten grandchildren, and her seven great-grandchildren
*Known as a loving, compassionate person who lived a life of giving to others
*Worked as a substitute teacher for the Buffalo School District
*Taught Sunday school at her church
*Headed a local food pantry and helped run the church’s soup kitchen
*Was a licensed missionary
*Went to Tops Supermarket after attending a church service to buy chicken
*Will be remembered as a devout person of faith, who expressed her joy in church by dancing in the aisles in a lively manner
In Memoriam…
Celestine Chaney, 65, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her son, her six grandchildren, and her nine great-grandchildren
*Worked at a suit manufacturer and then made baseball caps before retiring
*Was known as a loving and caring person who rarely got mad and laughed often
*Was a survivor who beat breast cancer and three brain aneurysms
*Was a member of the “Ester Project,” a woman’s ministry that empowers women to have enriching relationships
*Went to Tops Supermarket with her sister to buy strawberry shortcake cups, fell while trying to escape the shooter
*Will be remembered as the person who taught her son how to survive tough times
Celestine Chaney, 65, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her son, her six grandchildren, and her nine great-grandchildren
*Worked at a suit manufacturer and then made baseball caps before retiring
*Was known as a loving and caring person who rarely got mad and laughed often
*Was a survivor who beat breast cancer and three brain aneurysms
*Was a member of the “Ester Project,” a woman’s ministry that empowers women to have enriching relationships
*Went to Tops Supermarket with her sister to buy strawberry shortcake cups, fell while trying to escape the shooter
*Will be remembered as the person who taught her son how to survive tough times
In Memoriam…
Heyward Patterson, 67, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by his two children, his four grandchildren, and his one great-grandchild
*Took pride in helping people and lived a life of service
*Worked as a taxi driver and gave rides to and from the supermarket daily
*Had such a big heart that he gave rides, even if people had little or no money to pay
*Served as a Deacon at his church, turning on the heat in the winter and the A/C in the summer, also drove the church van
*Enjoyed telling jokes, singing at church, and dressing to impress
*Was helping someone to load groceries into the trunk of a car when he was killed in the parking lot of the Tops Supermarket
*Will be remembered as a happy man, who smiled often, and who was a protector and provider
Heyward Patterson, 67, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by his two children, his four grandchildren, and his one great-grandchild
*Took pride in helping people and lived a life of service
*Worked as a taxi driver and gave rides to and from the supermarket daily
*Had such a big heart that he gave rides, even if people had little or no money to pay
*Served as a Deacon at his church, turning on the heat in the winter and the A/C in the summer, also drove the church van
*Enjoyed telling jokes, singing at church, and dressing to impress
*Was helping someone to load groceries into the trunk of a car when he was killed in the parking lot of the Tops Supermarket
*Will be remembered as a happy man, who smiled often, and who was a protector and provider
In Memoriam…
Aaron Salter, 55, of Lockport, NY
*Survived by his wife and his three children
*Worked for 30 years as a Buffalo Police Officer with a reputation for bravery and was a well-respected Lieutenant when he retired
*Worked at Tops Supermarket as a Security Guard because of his desire to care for other people
*Loved fixing, polishing, and cleaning his 1967 Cadillac
*Collected model cars and playing cards, played drums and bass guitar at church, and loved to travel by motorhome
*Was a substitute teacher and ran a vending machine business also
*Invented and patented a car engine that runs completely on water power *Was working at Tops Supermarket and engaged the shooter. Lost his life trying to protect others
*Will be remembered as a HERO
Aaron Salter, 55, of Lockport, NY
*Survived by his wife and his three children
*Worked for 30 years as a Buffalo Police Officer with a reputation for bravery and was a well-respected Lieutenant when he retired
*Worked at Tops Supermarket as a Security Guard because of his desire to care for other people
*Loved fixing, polishing, and cleaning his 1967 Cadillac
*Collected model cars and playing cards, played drums and bass guitar at church, and loved to travel by motorhome
*Was a substitute teacher and ran a vending machine business also
*Invented and patented a car engine that runs completely on water power *Was working at Tops Supermarket and engaged the shooter. Lost his life trying to protect others
*Will be remembered as a HERO
In Memoriam…
Andre Mackniel, 53, of Auburn, NY
*Survived by his fiancé, his five children, and his three grandchildren
*Worked as a cook and was a stay-at-home dad
*Was always there for his children, loved ones, and friends, even when he was personally going through a difficult time
*Loved playing guitar, writing poems, listening to music, and basketball
*Was a devoted Miami Heat fan
*Went to Tops Supermarket to buy a surprise birthday cake for his 3-year old son
*Will be remembered as a genuine, sweet, and kind family man
Andre Mackniel, 53, of Auburn, NY
*Survived by his fiancé, his five children, and his three grandchildren
*Worked as a cook and was a stay-at-home dad
*Was always there for his children, loved ones, and friends, even when he was personally going through a difficult time
*Loved playing guitar, writing poems, listening to music, and basketball
*Was a devoted Miami Heat fan
*Went to Tops Supermarket to buy a surprise birthday cake for his 3-year old son
*Will be remembered as a genuine, sweet, and kind family man
In Memoriam…
Katherine Massey, 72, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her parents, her brothers, and her sisters
*Worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield for 40 years
*Co-founded a nonprofit advocacy group called “We Are Women Warriors”
*Put on theatric presentations at city schools to encourage healthy eating
*Lobbied City Hall successfully for a public park with African proverbs along the sidewalk
*Was a Civil Rights Advocate and thoughtful and honest writer, who often wrote about issues affecting the Buffalo community
*Wrote a letter to the Editor of the Buffalo News urging federal action to prevent shooting deaths, for stricter gun control, and for more accountability for the makers and sellers of firearms
*Was shopping for her sister at Tops Supermarket
*Will be remembered as an activist who was always looking for ways for how she could make Buffalo better
Katherine Massey, 72, of Buffalo, NY
*Survived by her parents, her brothers, and her sisters
*Worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield for 40 years
*Co-founded a nonprofit advocacy group called “We Are Women Warriors”
*Put on theatric presentations at city schools to encourage healthy eating
*Lobbied City Hall successfully for a public park with African proverbs along the sidewalk
*Was a Civil Rights Advocate and thoughtful and honest writer, who often wrote about issues affecting the Buffalo community
*Wrote a letter to the Editor of the Buffalo News urging federal action to prevent shooting deaths, for stricter gun control, and for more accountability for the makers and sellers of firearms
*Was shopping for her sister at Tops Supermarket
*Will be remembered as an activist who was always looking for ways for how she could make Buffalo better