CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the aftermath of the deadly mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store over the weekend, the spotlight on hate crimes reemerges. This time it comes with the hope from Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP leaders the work done now could help prevent yet another similar incident from happening again.
Investigators say the 18-year-old white man who shot and killed nearly a dozen Black people inside Top's Grocery Store was motivated by racial hate.
“Well, initially, you know, I was angry, as usual, that we are still dealing with this kind of vitriolic, action, hateful action, just this on the basis of race," Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP President Corine Mack said.
According to reports from the FBI in recent years, North Carolina has continued to see a growing number of reported hate crimes. From 2018 to 2020 the hate crime reports rose from 140 to 185. Specifically, hate crimes against African Americans nearly doubled during this time.
“How do we turn this around if white people who are good, loving, caring citizens don’t stand up and do something?" Mack asked. "Young people are being indoctrinated into this hateful thinking that it is us against them and them against us and it’s just not so.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP plans to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the issues of systematic racism and its impacts.
Meanwhile, South Carolina is one of only two states without a hate crime bill. That means a suspect who commits a crime motivated by race, religion, or sexual orientation would not face additional penalties on the state level.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden and the First Lady paid a visit to Buffalo to share their condolences. President Biden also addressed the community calling the crime that took place there an act of domestic terrorism.
“In America evil will not win, I promise you," Biden said. "Hate will not prevail and white supremacy will not have the last word."
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.