A city of Buffalo employee was tragically killed, and two others were wounded in a shooting incident that occurred on Thursday. The incident took place when the city pickup truck they were traveling in was struck multiple times by gunfire from a passing vehicle. State police reported that the shooting happened in the southbound lanes of Interstate 190, just north of downtown Buffalo, at around 11:20 a.m.
Authorities are currently searching for a dark-colored Jeep Grand Cherokee believed to be involved in the shooting. They have requested any motorists who were traveling on the busy highway at the time to come forward with dashcam video to assist with the investigation. State police have categorized the shooting as an isolated incident.
State police Major Eugene Staniszewski stated at a news conference, “We have several leads that we are working on, but currently we do not have a motive for the shooting. This is believed to be an isolated incident, and we have no information that there is an ongoing threat to the community at this time.”
The victims were employees of the Buffalo Sewer Authority and had just completed a job when they were shot while driving back to the Sewer Authority building. Mayor Byron Brown expressed his shock and disbelief, stating, “Who could have ever imagined that something like this would happen to three Sewer Authority employees as they are at work, doing the right thing, doing the people’s business? This has to stop.”
One of the employees is in serious condition, while the other is believed to have non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the pickup truck managed to evade the gunfire but was also injured. The names of the employees have not been released at this time.
Following the incident, traffic in the southbound lanes was temporarily stopped, with an ambulance and several law enforcement vehicles present at the scene. Traffic was diverted off the highway until approximately 3 p.m. The southbound lanes of Interstate 190 are a vital route connecting Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
This tragic incident highlights the need for increased efforts to address gun violence and ensure the safety of communities. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
