Bills players stunned by Buffalo mass shooting, use charity softball game to raise donations
Josh Allen, Micah Hyde and countless other Buffalo Bills players were left stunned this weekend following a mass shooting at a supermarket in town.
At least 10 people were killed and three others were injured in the shooting on Saturday, which an emotional Allen said on Sunday left him sick.
“The heartbreak, the sense of — this weird feeling that I have. My heart goes out to the victims and their families … It’s something that you never think it’s gonna happen in your community and when it does, it hits home,” Allen said.
“I was sick to my stomach all day yesterday. I was flying back from my sister’s graduation, and it was just, it’s gut-wrenching. It really is.”
"I'm sick to my stomach. We're going to meet as a team and find the best ways to help the families and community effected." pic.twitter.com/yZ6oZPb50x
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 15, 2022
Allen said that the Bills are planning to meet on Monday, where he said they’ll come up with a way to help victim’s families and the community.
An 18-year-old man allegedly drove several hours to the Tops supermarket in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon and opened fire while wearing tactical gear and carrying an assault weapon with an anti-Black slur written on the barrel, according to The New York Times.
At least 10 people were killed and several others were injured. Of the 13 people who were shot, per the report, 11 were Black. A manifesto believed to be posted by the alleged gunman was found online filled racist and horrific rhetoric. President Joe Biden called the attack “hate-fueled domestic terrorism.”
Allen was one of several Bills players who took to social media after the shooting, too.
Praying for and with our Buffalo community. Our hearts are with the victims, their families and friends.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 14, 2022
Extremely hard to express the emotions right now. Absolutely heartbroken for the victims and their families, and for the City of Buffalo.
— Josh Allen (@JoshAllenQB) May 14, 2022
— DIGGS (@stefondiggs) May 14, 2022
“I’m simply shocked. I still can’t believe it,” Hyde said. “But when there’s hate in the world, you kind of erase it with love.”
That, Hyde said, is why the team went forward with their long-scheduled charity softball game in Buffalo on Sunday.
More than 10,000 people came to the game at Sahlen Field, which raised more than $200,000 for Hyde’s charity foundation and featured dozens of Bills players — including Allen, Dawson Knox, Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer and more.
Thank you Bills Mafia and the entire Buffalo community for coming together today as we begin the long process of support and healing for our community. We are sending prayers to the families impacted, and we will be donating a portion of today’s game proceeds to the families.
— Micah Hyde (@micah_hyde) May 15, 2022
A portion of those proceeds, along with a silent auction that was held at the event, will go to help victims’ families.
"I’m still in shock over what happened in our community yesterday. There’s no room for hatred in this world."
We’re hurting for Buffalo and are heartbroken for the victims, their families, and their friends.— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 15, 2022
“Yesterday, I’ll be honest we didn’t feel right even having this game … If we stopped and canceled everything because of hate, we wouldn’t move forward,” Hyde said. “There’s a lot of it, and I think all you can do is just, like I said, spread love and love one another.”