Buffalo mass shooting: Leader of National Urban League calls on feds to create hate crimes task force

Gov. Hochul, other leaders call on social media companies to better monitor hate speech

NEW YORK -- In the wake of the deadly Buffalo mass shooting, local and community leaders are speaking out and offering support.

As CBS2's Thalia Perez reported, the president and CEO of the National Urban League is calling on federal officials to create a hate crimes task force.

"I encouraged him as we have encouraged the president today to step up and call an emergency hate crimes and extremism summit at the White House. Bring all of the parties together," Marc Morial said.

Morial said that task force should deal with hate crimes involving victims from various backgrounds.

"We have to take a powerful stand. It is a moral issue. It is an issue of paramount importance," Morial said.

Morial is also demanding officials ensure justice is brought to the victim's families and communities.

Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul was among local leaders blasting social media platforms following the shooting, demanding they be more vigilant in monitoring their content.

"This was, no other way to describe it than white supremacy, terrorism. It's racism. It's hatred. And it stops right here in Buffalo. This is the last stop you're going to have because we are coming after you," Hochul said.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams was among those offering support, saying hate has no place in our city or state and pointing to concerns that the Supreme Court could make a decision soon that would impact gun control.

"I'm just really just disgusted by how slow we're reaching, moving as a country. The thought that the Supreme Court is talking about doing a right-to-carry bill. This is just really a troubling place for us," Adams said.

And in the coming weeks, the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to strike down a state law requiring a license to carry a concealed weapon.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.