Western States Center Statement on Buffalo Shooter Sentencing

This morning, the shooter who murdered ten Black people in a Buffalo grocery store, was sentenced to life in prison. Amy Herzfeld-Copple, Western States Center’s Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, issued the following statement:

“The horrific violence the shooter inflicted on Buffalo’s Black community is devastating and will reverberate for generations. Western States Center applauds the legal system for moving quickly to hold the perpetrator of this tragedy accountable, but this sentencing will not prevent future racist violence. While legal accountability is essential, a comprehensive response to political violence motivated by bigoted conspiracy theories is the only way to prevent future mass murders like this one. 

“The Buffalo shooter was not commiting a random act of violence - he was motivated by the Great Replacement Theory and other dangerous white nationalist conspiracy theories that continue to drive anti-democracy actors to violence. American institutions must understand racist violence as a white nationalist strategy to build political power. We cannot underestimate the extent to which this poses serious threats to communities historically targeted by anti-Black racism and antisemitism. 

“White nationalist and anti-democracy movements have worked to normalize their bigoted ideologies, aided by many in elected office. As recently as  last week, U.S. House Republicans were using rhetoric that echoes aspects of the Great Replacement Theory in Committee hearings about immigration. 

“It is urgent that there is robust condemnation of bigoted, anti-democracy activity and specifically Great Replacement Theory from elected officials at every level of government. It is the least that the victims and their families in Buffalo deserve.”