BUFFALO, NY (WENY) – A Washington state man allegedly made threats of racially motivated violence at a Buffalo grocery store not related to the TOPS market where May’s mass shooting occurred.
According to the criminal complaint, Joey George, 37, allegedly called a grocery store in Buffalo and threatened to shoot black people in the store.
In the second call George allegedly ranted about a “race war.”
Law enforcement traced the phone number and identified George as the person who made the call. The complaint also describes other threatening calls George made to businesses in Maryland, Connecticut, and Washington State.
“The Buffalo community is trying to heal from the horrific shooting at a Tops grocery store. I cannot imagine the type of fear such hate fueled threats engendered in those just trying to go about their daily lives, said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “We cannot tolerate this kind of hate in our community and will not sit by while people seek to terrorize others across our country.”
In addition to the calls to Buffalo, George is charged in connection with a May 2022, call to a restaurant in San Bruno, California. In that call George allegedly threatened to shoot Black and Hispanic patrons in the restaurant.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with the assistance of multiple local police departments.
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