A winter storm barreled through Buffalo, New York, over the weekend and ended Christmas morning, but the emergency was far from over, as claims across social media indicate widespread looting.
"Looting in Buffalo being significantly downplayed by local media," said one Twitter user.
Local media outlet WGRZ reported, "New York State Police confirm reports of 2 looting incidents." But judging by the footage posted on Twitter, looting appears to be widespread.BREAKING: Looting in Buffalo being significantly downplayed by local media. A simple Facebook search of “Buffalo looting” shows multiple incidents. @WGRZ @ViralNewsNYC #BuffaloBlizzard2022 #BuffaloLooting pic.twitter.com/Rd0EbUpHO9
— Rowan (@canmericanized)
Here's some of the chaos posted on social media:
Looting of stores in Buffalo and New York at the same time as the extreme cold and frost pic.twitter.com/jczYBJgjNq
— The last word (@Thelast05015969)
There are reports of looting at multiple locations in Buffalo, New York following a deadly winter storm. pic.twitter.com/49T5WvolD2
— I’m No Angel (@HappyCamper2626)
Looting out of family dollar in Buffalo pic.twitter.com/C28biqbrgO
— KoolKid JJ (@KoolKidJJ)
DEVELOPING: Heavy gunfire heard as looters flee a business in Buffalo, New York#Buffalo l #NY
— Intel Point Alert (@IntelPointAlert)
Looting is occurring in the city following blizzard conditions. Footage shows someone firing several rounds as looters run from a building.
Injuries unknown.
pic.twitter.com/WyrQlr05N1
#NewYork#Buffalo#looting pic.twitter.com/EkYeFmaIcb
— The Daily Sneed™ (@Tr00peRR)
#BuffaloLooting The Winter Storm #WinterStorm #Elliott #Buffalo #NewYork #BuffaloNY #NYC #WinterStorm pic.twitter.com/dMduutUAEc
— Harish Deshmukh (@DeshmukhHarish9)
Last night Nickel City Liquor in Buffalo was broken into & robbed. $500 worth of alcohol stolen.
— Michael Schwartz (@MSchwartzTV)
Owner had to sleep there, unable to board it up. He said “they have cheap & bad taste.” pic.twitter.com/z46c1Rjok3
Looting across Buffalo, New York, here is a local Dollar General. Impacts from the blizzard has crippled the area with reinforcement being low.
— Live Storm Chasers (@LiveStormChaser)
Permission: David O. Anderson from Luminary Figures Group #blizzard #buffaloblizzard #Buffalo #BuffaloNY #NYwx #Buffalosnowstorm pic.twitter.com/bS8SW8c9sD
Another looting at family dollar in Buffalo smh ♂️ pic.twitter.com/6MJkcOdiu9
— KoolKid JJ (@KoolKidJJ)
Buffalo police are arresting looters... pic.twitter.com/CAVcHAgUOF
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres)
Unfortunate part of #BuffaloBlizzard2022 is the looting picking up in parts of the city. This is a Family Dollar on Genesee Street @WGRZ pic.twitter.com/NXhHgyMPhz
— Dave McKinley (@DaveMcKinley2)
Good question.
Yo, idiots @misslynchnyc and @GovKathyHochul the city is spiraling out of control .. looting, seniors dying, and you keep taking fucking pictures and pretending that everything is ok? You are truly helpless idiots..no sense of control or urgency..#BuffaloBlizzard2022 #Buffalo
— BIF (@brianrfreeman)
Besides looting, the blizzard-related death toll hit 25 in the metro area this morning, according to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, surpassing deaths of the 1977 blizzard. Conditions were so severe that even emergency responders needed rescuing.
And at that point, parts of the city transformed into lawless places where some residents went on looting sprees.