Experts to Discuss Mass Shooting in Buffalo

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Experts at Binghamton University, State University of New York will discuss issues surrounding the recent mass shooting in Buffalo at 11 a.m. Monday, May 23, via Zoom.

The tragic, racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., by an 18-year-old has captivated the nation. Experts at Binghamton University will discuss issues around the incident, such as the systems, online communities and ideologies that might have led the perpetrator to commit this violent act.

The speakers include:

Max Pensky, professor of philosophy and co-director of the Institute of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP)
Pensky will discuss how the incident in Buffalo is not just another instance of gun violence in the United States, but rather an atrocity fueled by conspiracy theories and broader attempts to dehumanize people of color.

Jeremy Blackburn, assistant professor of computer science
Blackburn, who has been researching “bad actors” online for 10-plus years, will discuss the toxic Web and social media communities that those like that shooter often frequent and how they foster hatred and extremist views.