Buffalo, New York, Mayor Byron Brown is blasting those who looted stores during the Christmas weekend blizzard as the "lowest of the low" according to The Buffalo News.
"People who are out looting when people are losing their lives in this harsh winter storm are absolutely reprehensible," Brown said Monday. "I don't know how these people can even live with themselves, how they can look at themselves in the mirror. They are the lowest of the low."
WIVB-TV said Brown added: "And from some of the pictures that we've seen on social media of these looters, they're not looting foods and medicines.
"They're just looting items that they want. So these aren't people in distress — these are people that are taking advantage of a natural disaster and the suffering of many in our community to take what they want from retailers — also potentially putting (emergency response) services at risk in the communities where they are looting."
Videos, which were not independently confirmed by The Buffalo News, include apparent looting inside a Family Dollar store and a 7-Eleven.
A business owner said a nearby Dollar General store was reportedly looted and windows were smashed at a Rite Aid Pharmacy.
The Broadway Market was also said to have been looted. Stolen or damaged items included a safe, cash registers, an ATM machine, and vendor stands, Common Council member Mitch Nowakowski said.
Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia confirmed he is aware of some reports of looting in Buffalo and said police have made a few arrests."
"We are dealing with it," Gramaglia said. "And of course we don't condone it."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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