SUNY Broome President, suspect’s high school respond to Buffalo mass shooting

(WBNG) -- SUNY Broome President Dr. Kevin Drumm released a statement Monday afternoon regarding the deadly shooting in Buffalo, N.Y. at a Tops grocery store on Saturday.

The full quote is posted below:

As we take time to absorb and reflect on the tragic mass shooting that took place in Buffalo, NY this past Saturday, we want to express our deepest sympathies and most sincere condolences to the families, friends, and communities of the victims. We also condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the apparent detestable motivation for the shootings.

We were heartbroken to learn that the gunman, a former student of our community, entered an east Buffalo supermarket with the specific intent of killing innocent people of color.

Ten souls were lost and three were injured in an act of pure violence and hatred. We at SUNY Broome wish to stress that we stand firmly united against hate and intolerance in all forms. We are an institution that proudly champions understanding and celebrates all the positive impacts that diversity brings to our community.

This week, as we remember the victims and their loved ones, let us work to counter this horrific event by sharing kindness, compassion, and respect for one another in all we say and do.

With deepest caring and sympathy for our fellow New Yorkers in Buffalo.

On Sunday, a spokesperson for SUNY Broome confirmed with 12 News that 18-year-old Payton Gendron was enrolled at the college from Fall 2021 to March 2022.

Gendron is from Conklin. He attended Susquehanna Valley High School. A PR firm, working on behalf of the district, said:

We are deeply saddened by the tragic, racially motivated hate crime that took place in Buffalo, New York. Such violence is antithetical to who we are as a district and a community. Our priority, first and foremost, is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. Therefore, we have enhanced existing measures to protect those in our care, including expanding mental health support services and reviewing processes in place to report threats against our schools and students. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement officials as they investigate the shooting.

10 people were killed in the racially motivated shooting. Most of the victims were Black.