Auburn man among those shot in Buffalo shooting, police say

Andre Mackniel, 53, was shot and killed in a racist attack at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo on Saturday, May 14, 2022. (Photo courtesy Whitney Wigent)
  • 697 shares

Syracuse, N.Y. — An Auburn man was among the 10 people killed in a racist attack at a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo on Saturday.

Andre Mackniel, 53, was shot and killed along with nine other people, the Buffalo police said on Sunday.

Alfonso Davis was friends with Mackniel, who sometimes went by “Drew,” he said. Davis said he last saw him about six months ago at Mackniel’s sister-in-law’s home in Auburn.

“He was a good person, always kind and respectful,” Davis said.

Whitney Wigent, a family friend who talked to syracuse.com | The Post-Standard, agrees. She said Mackniel was a joyous person.

“He was always laughing and smiling,” she said. “He always made sure everyone was ok.”

Wigent said she’s known him all her life. Mackniel was known to some as “Tupac” for being inspirational, Wigent said.

Wigent lost her mother and grandmother just months apart last year. Mackniel always checked up on her and sent her inspirational quotes, she said.

She recently adopted her nephew and needed clothing and sneakers for the boy, she said. Mackniel brought her some.

“I just can’t believe it,” she said. “It hurts, it really hurts.”

This is a breaking story and will be updated. If you knew Andre Mackniel and are interested in sharing his story and/or photograph with us, please email citynews@syracuse.com

READ MORE

Buffalo shooting update: Feds interview suspect’s parents

10 people killed, 3 wounded in Buffalo supermarket shooting

Broome County teen charged in deadly Buffalo shooting

Buffalo shooting: What we know 24 hours later

Buffalo shooting: Syracuse community grieves at local Tops supermarkets

Woman, 32, from Syracuse among 10 dead in Buffalo shooting

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article stated Buffalo police spelled the victim’s last name “Mackneil,” but police later corrected that spelling and confirmed Mackniel is the correct way to spell his last name.

Staff writer Catie O’Toole contributed to this report.

Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

X

Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information

If you opt out, we won’t sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously.