Experts Advisory: Mass Shooting at Buffalo Supermarket

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 18, 2022) – A mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket has left 10 people dead and three wounded. The perpetrator, then 17, allegedly threatened to shoot up his school, and was later admitted to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

On Saturday, he took three guns that were legally purchased and then used an illegally modified semi-automatic rifle to target and kill Black people on a murderous rampage.

The horrific incident has left a community reeling and a nation asking questions, such as how someone with a history of mental illness and espousing violent threats could still legally purchase weapons, especially in a state such as New York with red-flag laws designed to prevent such sales from occurring?

The University at Albany has numerous experts who can address issues such as domestic terrorism, gun laws in New York, homeland security/cybersecurity and violence against minorities.

UAlbany’s list of faculty experts include:

Hayward Derrick Horton, professor of Sociology at the College of Arts and Sciences: Horton’s areas of specialty are demography, race/ethnicity, entrepreneurship and community and economic development. He has published extensively in the areas of the demography of racial inequality; race/ethnicity and entrepreneurship; and the impact of race on wealth, status and power. He is a co-editor of Issues in Race & Society, the official journal of the Association of Black Sociologists.

Victor Asal, professor of Political Science at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and director of the Center for Policy Research: Asal is an expert on terrorism, homeland security, contentious politics and political discrimination. His research focuses on the choice of violence by non-state organizational actors as well as the causes of political discrimination by states against different groups such as sexual minorities, women and ethnic groups.

David Adkins, undergraduate director of cybersecurity at the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity: Adkins is formally the CIO for NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research & Development Authority) and served as part of the senior CIO executive team at NYS Information Technology Services. He currently teaches courses on cybersecurity and informatics, including social network analysis.

About the University at Albany:

A comprehensive public research university, the University at Albany-SUNY offers more than 120 undergraduate majors and minors and 125 master’s, doctoral and graduate certificate programs. UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as atmospheric and environmental sciences, business, education, public health, health sciences, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, engineering and applied sciences, informatics, public administration, social welfare and sociology, taught by an extensive roster of faculty experts. It also offers expanded academic and research opportunities for students through an affiliation with Albany Law School. With a curriculum enhanced by 600 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great career

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