Funeral held for guard killed in Buffalo mass shooting day after Texas rampage: "Aaron bravely fought evil that day"

Hundreds of miles away from Uvalde, Texas, another community in Buffalo, New York, is grieving from a recent mass shooting. 

Mourners gathered Wednesday to honor former police officer Aaron Salter Jr. 

Lieutenant Salter, retired from the Buffalo Police Department in 2018 after nearly 30 years of service. In retirement, he worked as a security guard at Tops Market. 

Salter was one of the 10 Black people gunned down by an 18-year-old, who law enforcement officials say was motivated by hate. 

"Aaron bravely fought evil that day. His fight allowed numerous customers precious seconds to run through the cash register lanes toward the back of the store while Aaron remained upfront fighting," Buffalo Police Department Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said during Salter's memorial. 

After the service, it was back to serving the community for local volunteers. Rapper and philanthropist, Trae the Truth, and the national social justice organization "Until Freedom" joined in. 

Trae came to Buffalo with an 18-wheeler full of food and toiletries to help fill a void left behind by the now-closed neighborhood grocery store. 
 
While planning this trip, he learned of Tuesday's massacre at the elementary school in Texas, Trae's home state. 

"These are babies," he said. "I have kids that age and younger. I couldn't imagine what kind of pain that is."
 
That pain drives him to tragedy after tragedy, this morning he's off to Uvalde.  

"I've got to be there for them just as well. I'm gone meet with the families, reach out to the mayor, see what assistance they need, let them know that Houston definitely behind them and other places are behind them," Trae said.  

Two more victims from the Tops Market shooting will be laid to rest on Friday.