The police are investigating the reasons for the attack, which was reportedly broadcast on social media.
At least 10 people were killed in a shooting Saturday followingnoon at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, two officials told The Associated Press.
Details regarding how many other people were shot at Tops Friendly Market and their health status are not immediately available.
Buffalo police had reported shortly before that the alleged assailant, whose identity has not been released, had been arrested.
The two officials are not allowed to speak publicly regarding the incident and therefore requested anonymity.
Police and a supermarket spokesman did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment on the incident.
The assailant entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire, one of the officials said. Authorities believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and are investigating whether he had posted a manifesto online, according to the official.
???????????? | ATTENTION
Report at least 10 deaths in a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York
The shooter broadcast the massacre live on Twitch pic.twitter.com/8eF23o9mKO
– Elvira Rodriguez (@ElviraRodriguez) May 14, 2022
He warned that the investigation was in its preliminary stages and that authorities had not yet discerned a clear motive but are investigating whether the shooting was racially motivated.
The supermarket is in a predominantly black neighborhood regarding three miles north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is mostly residential, with a Family Dollar chain store and a fire station near the store.
According to witnesses, the gunman was wearing military-style clothing and a bulletproof vest, one of the officials said.
Police closed off the block, which was surrounded by onlookers, and police cordoned off the entire parking lot with yellow tape. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown was on the scene and was scheduled to speak to the media later.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo,” her hometown. She pointed out that the state authorities have offered her help to the municipal ones.
The Erie County Police Department said on social media that it has ordered all available personnel to assist Buffalo police.
The shooting comes just over a year following a March 2021 attack at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, that claimed the lives of 10 people.
Detectives have not released information on why they believe the man accused of that attack chose the supermarket.
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