BUFFALO, N.Y. — Eight people leaving a party at a downtown Buffalo restaurant were shot early Saturday, four of them fatally, including a Texas man who had returned to his hometown to celebrate his first wedding anniversary, police said.
Managers had decided to close the City Grill in the city’s business district after an altercation inside. The victims were leaving about 2:30 a.m. when a man who had been inside began shooting, police said.
“There were verbal things going on. Management apparently chose to close down and have everybody leave the restaurant,” said Chief of Detectives Dennis Richards. “People were leaving when this shooting happened.”
Keith Johnson, 25, of Buffalo was charged Saturday afternoon with four counts of second-degree murder and could face more charges. Johnson was in custody late Saturday and unavailable for comment.
Police didn’t know whether Johnson was involved in the earlier altercation and asked witnesses to speak up.
“We need people to come forward,” said Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda.
Derenda estimated there were 100 people at the scene when police arrived. The group was attending a party in advance of a more formal anniversary celebration set for later Saturday, authorities said.
The couple, 30-year-old Danyell Mackin and his wife, married in Texas a year ago and had returned to celebrate with Buffalo-area friends and family, authorities said.
The wife was not injured.
Police have identified the other three victims as Willie McCaa III, 26; Shawnita McNeil, 27; and Tiffany Wilhite, 32. Three were pronounced dead at the scene, and the fourth died at a hospital.
Authorities say the four wounded were all men. One was in critical condition at a Buffalo hospital Saturday afternoon. Two were in stable condition, and one was in good condition.
