BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Police Department is investigating a deadly double shooting that happened Sunday night near Canalside.
A 23-year-old Buffalo man and a 22-year-old Buffalo man were both shot just after 9 p.m. in the area of Erie Street and Marine Drive.
According to a City of Buffalo spokesperson, the 23-year-old was declared dead at the scene. The 22-year-old was taken to ECMC where he's said to be in serious condition.
According to Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, some high performance vehicle enthusiasts gathered on Marine Drive to race following an impromptu social media post.
"With some high performance vehicle enthusiasts that wanted to meet in that area to, apparently to race," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
Gramaglia notes that the two victims were not inside a vehicle when they were shot. He went on to say that one of the shooting victims ran away from the scene toward Templeton Landing, where they were later located by officers.
"They were shot outside of the vehicle. One of the shooting victims ran from the scene after he was shot and ran towards Templeton Landing where our officers located that shooting victim and he was transported," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
When police arrived on scene, they say the suspect vehicle fled and crashed on its own a short time later. Those inside then took off on foot after the crash. A loaded handgun was recovered near the abandoned vehicle.
While police were on the scene investigating Sunday night, people were being asked to avoid the area. Motorists were also being asked to do the same and find another route. Roads were closed near Marine Drive, and police had the area blocked off to keep people away.
Police say the the shooting appears to be targeted, and they are going to have officers patrolling the area again this summer like they have for at least the past two years to deter illegal street racers from gathering there.
"The substation is down there, but it was, it has not been staffed the last couple of years with COVID, you know, there was really nothing going on. It was really a stop off point if officers had to go in there to do any reports, so and we had some details down there, so, we want to have officers not sitting in the substation, we want them out walking," said Gramaglia.
The Canalside shooting happened five hours after one man was shot and killed, and another man was wounded Sunday afternoon on Dodge Street, according to police.
A 36-year-old Buffalo man there was declared dead at the scene.
No further information has been provided at this time.