Washington State Man Charged After Threatening To Kill Black Shoppers At A Buffalo Grocery Store

A Washington state man has been charged after he reportedly threatened to shoot Black people shopping at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

The Black community is continuously in the process of healing following the slew of domestic terrorist attacks made against us. Back in May, a domestic terrorist slaughtered several people shopping at a Tops supermarket in a predominately Black neighborhood.

Just two months after the mass shooting, calls from a man threatening to kill Black people at another Tops location, and a nearby store, were reported. The calls came in on July 19 and 20. NPR reports the man who called was identified as 37-year-old Joey David George. NPR obtained a federal criminal complaint that stated George used the name Peter when making the calls.

When he called the store, he said he would “make the news if he shot and killed all of the Black people, including all of the women, children and babies.” He also asked a Tops employee if the store was being cleared out, claiming that he may already be in the establishment or “somewhere nearby.” He also asked how many Black people were in the store.

He added that if no one were at the store, then he’d move on to Jefferson Avenue Tops location – where the mass shooter murdered 10 people in May.

“The Buffalo community is trying to heal from the horrific shooting at a Tops grocery store. I cannot imagine the type of fear such hate fueled threats engendered in those just trying to go about their daily lives, said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.  “We cannot tolerate this kind of hate in our community and will not sit by while people seek to terrorize others across our country.”

George has since been arrested and charged with two counts of interstate threats. NPR reports George previously made calls, threatening to shoot Black and Brown customers who were eating at a restaurant.