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May 15 (UPI) -- The families of some of the victims of the "racially motivated" mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., have come forward to identify their lost loved ones. Payton Gendron, 18, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder for fatally shooting 10 people Saturday, including a beloved retired police officer working as a security guard who confronted the shooter, and injuring three others at a Tops grocery store Saturday afternoon.
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Pages from a manifesto Gendron is believed to have written ahead of the mass shooting obtained by United Press International detailed his plans for the attack and included numerous racist and anti-immigration remarks.
The security guard was identified as Aaron Salter Jr., 55, by Buffalo Police Chief Joseph Gramaglia who said during a news conference Saturday that he had confronted and shot Gendron before he was killed.
The mother of retired Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield was also among the victims killed, he told Buffalo News. Ruth Whitfield, 86, was remembered as a "consummate mom" and a "mother to the motherless."
The sister of victim Katherine Massey, who was shopping when she was killed Saturday, confirmed her identity to The Buffalo News."She was a beautiful soul," Barbara Massey told the outlet.
Another of the victims was identified as Heyward Patterson by his great-niece Teniqua Clark in comments to The New York Times.
Clark said Patterson often gave rides to people to the supermarket and would help them carry their groceries afterward. Another relative posted a tribute to Patterson on Facebook.
Celestine Chaney, 65, was killed while shopping for strawberries to bake a shortcake with her sister, her son Wayne Jones told The New York Times.
Another victim, 32-year-old Roberta Drury, was picking up groceries to make dinner, her sister Amanda Drury told the newspaper.
"She was very vibrant," Amanda Drury said. "She always was the center of attention and made the whole room smile and laugh."
