Sean Kirst: In Buffalo, hearing the song of a grieving child who 'could not weep anymore' From the Complete coverage: 10 killed, 3 wounded in mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket series By Sean Kirst May 15, 2022 May 15, 2022 Updated Mar 18, 2026 A police officer comforts a man outside the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, where a shooter killed 10 people on May 14, 2022. Derek Gee/Buffalo News Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save By Sean Kirst Just thinking of Aretha Franklin.kAmyFDE E9:?<:?8 @7 9@H D96 FD65 E@ DA6?5 49:=59@@5 DF>>6CD 96C6 H:E9 96C >@>[ q2C32C2 $:886CD uC2?<=:?[ A:2?:DE 2?5 8@DA6= D:?86C]k^AmkAmyFDE E9:?<:?8 @7 9@H q2C32C2 H2D =@DE E@ 2 DF556? 962CE 2EE24< H96? pC6E92 H2D ?@E BF:E6 `_[ 2?5 9@H E96 49:=5 – :? E96 9@FCD 27E6C E96J 3FC:65 96C >@E96C 2E u@C6DE {2H? – H6?E E@ E96 4FC3 :? 7C@?E @7 96C 8C2?5A2C6?ED’ 9@FD6 @? {JE9 pG6?F6[ :? 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E92E 4FC3]k^Am kAm(9@ 2==@H65 96CD6=7 ?@ BF2CE6C 7C@> E96 92C56DE =@DD @7 2==]k^AmkAm(9@ H6AE F?E:= D96 4@F=5 32C6=J H66A 2?J>@C6]k^AmkAmp?5 E2F89E 96CD6=7 E@ D:?8 @7 E96 92C56DE >JDE6CJ :? 2 49@C5 2?5 =2?8F286 H6 42? @?=J AC2J 7@C ?@Hik^AmkAm~7 =@G6 D96 3FC:65[ 3FE =@G6 D96 ?6G6C 2==@H65 E@ 5:6k^AmkAmx? qF772=@]k^Am Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Buffalo News. Email him at skirst@buffnews.com. In this Series Complete coverage: 10 killed, 3 wounded in mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket Updated Mar 18, 2026 Hochul pledges pursuit of justice after shooting, calls on sites to crack down on white supremacist content Updated Mar 18, 2026 Sean Kirst: In Buffalo, hearing the song of a grieving child who 'could not weep anymore' Updated Mar 18, 2026 Recently retired police officer, mother of former fire commissioner both killed in Tops shooting 250 updates Previous Next Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Buffalo Council president after mass shooting: 'If you're silent right now, you're not a friend of mine' "This is not the time to tear up our own community, because our community did not do this," True Bethel Bishop and Buffalo Common Council Pres… FBI seeking photos and video from Tops Market shooting The FBI is asking anyone who has photos or videos related to the mass shooting at Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo Saturday to submi… Mental health counselors available all day at Johnnie B. Wiley Center Mental health counselors from an array of agencies will be available until 9 p.m. at the Johnnie B. Wiley Center, 1100 Jefferson Ave., followi… The victims: What we know about those killed, injured in Tops shooting They were just doing ordinary things on a beautiful summerlike spring day, until a man armed with a high-power rifle drove three hours to Buff… Sean Kirst: A frantic call, a relieved family: 'Grandma, are you at Tops?' Eva Doyle does her shopping at the Jefferson Avenue Tops every Saturday afternoon – except for last weekend. Sean Kirst: In heart of Buffalo, after lethal madness, young 'brotherhood' shares tears, anger and hope “Too often you can walk around with a hard shell when inside you feel like you’re disintegrating,” said Tommy McClam, who with Daniel Robertso… Sean Kirst: How do you carry on Aaron Salter's legacy? Through life Three friends of Aaron Salter, the retired police officer killed in the Tops Markets massacre on May 14, are at the center of a scholarship at… Sean Kirst: On Cherry Street, what 'Kat' would want – a Fruit Belt Christmas If ever a community needed the Yuletide, here it was. Watch Now: Related Video Change lines with Gravity Storm of the Madison Gay Hockey Association Bear cub rescued from roadside ditch along I‑78 in Union Township Bear cub rescued from roadside ditch along I‑78 in Union Township Top stories for April 3, 2026 Top stories for April 3, 2026 Top stories for April 3, 2026 Top stories for April 3, 2026
Buffalo Council president after mass shooting: 'If you're silent right now, you're not a friend of mine' "This is not the time to tear up our own community, because our community did not do this," True Bethel Bishop and Buffalo Common Council Pres…
FBI seeking photos and video from Tops Market shooting The FBI is asking anyone who has photos or videos related to the mass shooting at Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo Saturday to submi…
Mental health counselors available all day at Johnnie B. Wiley Center Mental health counselors from an array of agencies will be available until 9 p.m. at the Johnnie B. Wiley Center, 1100 Jefferson Ave., followi…
The victims: What we know about those killed, injured in Tops shooting They were just doing ordinary things on a beautiful summerlike spring day, until a man armed with a high-power rifle drove three hours to Buff…
Sean Kirst: A frantic call, a relieved family: 'Grandma, are you at Tops?' Eva Doyle does her shopping at the Jefferson Avenue Tops every Saturday afternoon – except for last weekend.
Sean Kirst: In heart of Buffalo, after lethal madness, young 'brotherhood' shares tears, anger and hope “Too often you can walk around with a hard shell when inside you feel like you’re disintegrating,” said Tommy McClam, who with Daniel Robertso…
Sean Kirst: How do you carry on Aaron Salter's legacy? Through life Three friends of Aaron Salter, the retired police officer killed in the Tops Markets massacre on May 14, are at the center of a scholarship at…
Sean Kirst: On Cherry Street, what 'Kat' would want – a Fruit Belt Christmas If ever a community needed the Yuletide, here it was.
