Security Guard Who Confronted Buffalo Shooter Who Gunned Down Innocent Shoppers Hailed a Hero – Crime Online
Share this @internewscast.com


The security guard who confronted the Buffalo grocery store shooter is being hailed a hero by his family and the city’s top law enforcement officer, Daily Beast reports.

Aaron Salter Jr., 55, has been identified as the security guard who tried to stop a shooter gunning down innocent shoppers at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday.

Salter Jr., a retired police officer, fired his gun at the attacker, Payton Gendron, but the 18-year-old was wearing tactical gear that prevented the bullet from stopping him, as CrimeOnline previously reported.

Salter’s son, Aaron Salter III, told the news outlet that his father confronted evil head-on.

“Today is a shock,” Salter III told the Daily Beast. “I’m pretty sure he saved some lives today. He’s a hero.”

Gendron shot and killed Salter Jr. and nine others at the grocery store, which serves a predominantly Black community. Three people were also injured. In total, 11 of the victims were Black.

Authorities allege that the massacre was racially motivated. Gendron reportedly posted a hate-filled manifesto before the attack and live-streamed the massacre online.

The FBI is investigating the attack as violent extremism and a potential hate crime, according to ABC News.

Salter III told the Daily Beast that his father had worked at the supermarket for four years after serving three decades with the Buffalo Police Department.

Salter Jr.’s mother, Carol, was a cashier at the grocery store for 15 years before she was promoted to front-end manager, a position she held until retiring in 1996.

This was not Salter Jr.’s first time encountering danger. In 1996, a suspect pointed a shotgun at him amid a burglary, The Buffalo News reports.

“My first reaction was to duck,” Salter Jr. had told the newspaper. “I don’t enjoy looking down the barrel of a shotgun, and if it hadn’t been for my partner shooting first, it would have been a golden opportunity to shoot us. My partner probably saved us.”

Aside from working at the grocery store, Salter Jr. was passionate about environmental sustainability. YouTube videos showed him explaining how he built vehicles with engines that used water as an energy source.

“I’m a jack of all trades a master of none,” his LinkedIn profile reads.

On Sunday, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told ABC News that Salter ran toward the gunfire and “went down fighting.”

“He’s a true hero. We don’t know what he prevented. There could have been more victims if not for his actions,” Gramaglia told ABC News. “He was a beloved member and we’re sure he saved lives yesterday.”

Salter Jr. leaves behind three children.

For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.

[Featured image: A police officer walks near the scene of a shooting at a supermarket, in Buffalo, N.Y., Sunday, May 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)]



Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Arrest made in Meridian patient assault case

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Devon Lashaun Dukes, 24, was taken into…

Police Report: Husband Allegedly Poisons Wife, Resulting in Blue Tongue

Background: The Eternal Spring of Gilbert facility where Danielle Crosbie-Davidson was discovered…

Judge Criticizes Trump Administration’s Attempt to Dismiss HHS Employees

President Donald Trump, on the left, addresses an audience while Health and…

Michigan Charter School Teacher Arrested Following Admission to Co-Worker About Inappropriate Relationship with Student

A former Michigan charter school teacher is facing charges after police say…

States Accuse Trump Administration of Illegally Reducing Youth Mental Health Funds

President Donald Trump addresses the media alongside Elon Musk in the Oval…

Judge Cautions Trump Administration Against Any Acts of ‘Retaliation’

Background: In the White House briefing room on June 27, 2025, President…

Newspaper Challenges Trump’s ‘Litigation Tactics’

President Donald Trump listens during a briefing with the media, Friday, June…

Wife Detained for DUI Following Husband’s Fatal Fall from Golf Cart

Share copy link Inset: Cynthia Mackin (St. Lucie County Jail). Background: Astor…

Emily Pike: Tragic Details Emerge After Police Discover Young Indigenous Girl’s Death as a Murder and Dismemberment

The cause of death for Arizona teen Emily Pike has been confirmed,…

Father Sentenced for Drowning Baby in Detergent Bucket

Left: Jacob Moneus (Lafayette Police Department) Right: Eliasard Moneus (Tippecanoe County Jail).…

“Avoid Running Straight: Here’s Why”

Inset: President Donald Trump speaking to reporters at Dade-Collier Training and Transition…

Texas Man Admits to Killing Missing Flight Attendant and Disposing Body Off Bridge

A Texas man has been charged with killing his flight attendant roommate…