Retired Buffalo Officer Killed in Supermarket Attack Buried with Honors

A retired Buffalo police officer who fought back during an active shooter attack earlier this month was buried with line-of-duty death honors Wednesday.

Aaron Salter Jr. was working as a security guard at the supermarket when a man entered the business and started killing customers on the afternoon of May 14. He shot the suspect but the man was wearing armor and suffered no injury. Salter was killed in the exchange of fire. He was one of 10 people killed in the attack. The suspect is in custody.

Salter's family was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor, the Buffalo Police Department's highest award, on his behalf, Fox Buffalo reports. He was also promoted to lieutenant.

“The amount of precious seconds by his forward actions, his fight, allowed people to run towards the back of the store, and gave them precious seconds to escape,” said BPD Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.

Salter retired from the Buffalo Police Department in 2018.