Buffalo resident expresses 'jubilation' as supermarket reopens after mass shooting

Story Transcript

LeRoy Bills was thrilled to once again walk down the aisles of the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo's east side, pick up some of its famous fried chicken, and chat with old friends in the parking lot.

The newly refurbished store opened its doors to the public again on Friday, two months after it was the site of a mass shooting in which a white gunman, who police say was motivated by racist hatred, opened fire and killed 10 people, all of them Black.

There's been some division in the community about whether the supermarket should reopen so soon after the traumatic crime. But before Tops opened in 2003, Buffalo's east side was considered a food desert, and the residents fought long and hard to bring a grocery store to their neighborhood.

Bills is a community activist who works with the Stop the Violence Foundation. He says Tops is more than just a grocery store; it's a community hub. Here is part of his conversation with As It Happens guest host Robyn Bresnahan.

Leroy, what was it like to be back at Tops today?

It was very exciting to be back at Tops today. 

First of all, the Stop the Violence Foundation would like to give a shout out to Tops for coming back into the community and repairing that Tops and letting us get back in there.

How were you feeling when you walked through those doors and knowing what happened there? 

A lot of jubilation, really. Because a lot of the people that I was seeing were people who were at the Tops before. 

There was a security guard there that I knew, and he asked me, "Hey, how's it going?" I said, "I'm going to get me some chicken!"

They were very famous for fried chicken. So I went in and got me a nice batch of it, and we came out in parking today and talked to the people who are in the parking lot, and everyone there was very excited about the Tops reopening.

There's still some naysayers. There were a couple of people there that said, you know, it was too soon for the Tops to reopen.

I have to say, Leroy, I'm surprised to hear you use terms like "jubilation" and "excitement." 

This is a different kind of place. A lot of times when events like that happen, the community really tears itself up. It was not the case in Buffalo. 

We came together, and had vigils, and cried on each other's shoulders, and knew that there was a brighter day coming. So when this brighter day finally arrived here, you know, of course it's not justice for what happened, but it is a win. It is a positive situation.

And it's not just a grocery store, is it? I mean, it's a pretty important part of the community.

Oh, my God, you have no idea, ma'am. This community store is a meeting place. People from all over the community come to just sit in the parking lot and talk to each other and laugh. And they don't even have to be going shopping, you know. They're just there to see old friends and everything. It's a place where the whole community comes together to meet. And it was just tragic what that young man did. And I pray for his soul.

You were actually at the supermarket the night before the shooting. And we now know that the shooter was there, too, scoping the place out. How did you feel when you learned that?

I'm a person who has a devout faith, and there is nothing that I can do to fight the evils in this world. But in God, all things are possible … and I know He watches me.

That's tragic that anyone would have that in their minds and heart to be so hateful and to be so deceitful.

One of the people who was killed ... in this incident is [Ruth] Whitfield. And, oh, my goodness gracious, she went to my church. She was just one of the sweetest people alive. And to know that she suffered because she was going to get her husband — who was in hospice, that she visited every day — some smoked turkey. He loved smoked turkey. I visited him also, and he's a character.

But that whole Whitfield family experienced this tragedy. And as [Ruth Whitfield's son] Garnell said: We're not only hurt; we're angry, you know, about the things that are going on in this world. 

How can someone have this kind of hatred in their heart for somebody they don't even know? Good God. But I am a person of devout faith, and I feel that God is still in control.

I was wondering actually, if you could share one of your favourite memories of her, because you must have been thinking about her as you walked into the store today and saw her name on the memorial.

I actually was. They have a new mural that is between the waterfalls when you first walk into the left, and her name is prominently displayed there.

I'm a bus driver also for the city of Buffalo ... and she would say, "LeRoy, baby, you're a little late today."

And I would say, "OK, yeah, I'm sorry Mrs. Whitfield."

And then she'd draw me real close and say, "That's OK baby. I was a little late too." And we both laugh.

She was something else. She was the one of the finest mothers of that church you could ever have. She always had everybody's consideration in mind. She did. She was a person who gave of herself prominently.

Yesterday, the gunman, who was 19 years old and white, accused of this mass shooting, he was indicted by a grand jury on 27 charges, including 10 hate crime charges. Did that give you any sort of solace?

You know what? What has happened has happened. Anything, and any kind of perceived justice that people might have, is not going to bring these people back. It's not.

Yes, I would like to see him receive some of the God's justice that he deserves. But that's not up to me. That's going to be up to God. You know, "Vengeance is mine," sayeth the Lord.

Whatever the legal system does with him, he deserves. But nothing like that is going to give us any solace this on those people who are gone. It just won't. This community is forever changed for that.

Written by Sheena Goodyear with files from The Associated Press. Interview produced by Sarah Jackson. Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.