Final design revealed for memorial honoring Buffalo mass shooting victims

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York State Governor Kathy Hochul was in Buffalo Monday and joined Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and the May 14 Memorial Commission to unveil “Seeing Us,” the final design for the permanent memorial to honor the victims of the attack. Racially motivated mass shooting at Tops Friendly Markets on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo on May 14, 2022.

New York State Governor’s Office

“Seeing Us,” designed by Jin Young Song and Douglass Alligood, was chosen from 20 submissions and was one of three finalists.

WATCH: “Building a better future”: the finalists present their creations to the May 14 Commemorative Commission

“Building a better future”: the finalists present their creations to the May 14 Commemorative Commission

“All for? » asked Reverend Mark Blue. “Yes,” replied all the members of the commission present.

Members of the Buffalo May 14 Memorial Commission voted unanimously Monday morning to select the design. The Commission worked with the families of those killed and injured in the mass shooting and chose the final design with their input.

The design was then unveiled to the public at the Apollo Theater on Jefferson Avenue, just up the street from Tops Market.

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“I am proud to unveil the final design of the permanent May 14 memorial to the victims of this tragedy. keep their memories alive and help this community heal,” said Governor Hochul.

New York State Governor’s Office

“The final design features ten interconnected pillars, bearing the names of victims and survivors, each with a unique arch and height, clad in stone. It also includes a vast support building that functions as a central hub for education, exhibitions and community activities, gatherings and events Visitors will also find an elevated memorial walkway on the roof of the support building,” the governor’s office said.

New York State Governor’s Office

A powerful video was shown and delivered an emotional experience of what the 5/14 Memorial will look like.

“This tragedy brought us closer together in more ways than one. I am so proud of our city and our community. No cars were overturned. not a single window was broken. not a single fight ensued. but what he did – it moved us to action,” said the Rev. Mark Blue, chairman of the May 14 Memorial Commission.

Mayor Byron Brown said he hoped the memorial would offer “a sense of healing, peace and hope.”

“I am confident that the May 14 Memorial Commission will create a fitting memorial to honor the precious lives lost and the many others who were touched that day. We will never forget,” said Mayor Brown.

The permanent memorial is expected to cost nearly $15 million. The State of New York will provide $5 million and the City of Buffalo $1 million. The governor’s office said the Commission will launch a fundraising campaign to raise the remaining funds needed to start work.

A fundraising committee, made up of a group of well-known Buffalo heavy hitters, was appointed:

• Eunice Lewin, SUNY administrator
• Jonathan Dandes, Rich Products
• Dottie Gallagher, President and CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership
• Michael Edbauer president. Highmark West and Northeast New York

“They have really been extremely considerate of everyone affected,” remarked Fragrance Harris Stanfield.

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Fragrance Harris Stanfield survived the Tops mass shooting with her daughter and is a member of the 5/14 Memorial Commission.

“It’s going to be more than just 5/14 itself, but also different factors and systematic things that will lead to something like that happening,” Harris Stanfield responded.

I also asked Garnell Whitfield, who lost his mother Ruth in the racist shooting and is also a member of the commission, what he thought of the design.

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“Let’s be very clear. This will not bring my mother back. It will not replace our loved ones. It will not undo all the damage that has been done to our community over generations, but it represents hope for a better day,” he said. replied Whitfield. “But it represents hope for a better day. It represents the planting of a seed within this community that will hopefully bear fruit and allow future generations to not experience what we have. have lived. loved ones have been there.

Gov. Hochul said watching the video showcasing the future design hit her “very hard.”

“It hit me hard, and I really want this to be a place where people will come, this is their place, but where others will learn about the terrorism that lurks among us. it was domestic terrorism, raw domestic terrorism,” Hochul reflected.

Rev. Blue says the commission has not yet decided on a permanent location, but could make an announcement soon.

“We’re still looking. We have some ideas, but we have to go through this process and hopefully in the coming days, in the coming weeks, we will announce where the memorial will be placed. But we are still working on this process,” Rev. Blue noted.

Mayor Brown gave some very brief information on the future location.

“And it will be in a place where it neglects the community, where these precious lives and what they meant to the community can ignore the community that is so incredibly powerful and really reflects how raw the emotion still is around what is happened to our community,” Brown said.

As Western New York mourns with the families, 7 News wants to honor their memory as well.