BUFFALO, N.Y. — Norfolk native and NFL Hall of Fame player Bruce Smith is joining some of his former teammates in Buffalo to help support families of last week's racist mass shooting.
Smith played for the Buffalo Bills for most of his 19-year career. He said he felt compelled to visit the memorial at the Tops Supermarket, where police say an 18-year-old white man killed 10 Black people and injured three others.
"I bet you this racist didn't count of this outpouring of love that's taking place right now, the strengthening of this community that's going on right now," Smith said Thursday.
"Choose Love" is a motto the Bills continue to spread after Saturday's tragedy at Tops on Jefferson Avenue that claimed 10 lives.
Other Bills legends who are showing their support for the community include Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas, who said that he and his wife's family foundation has raised more than $100,000 to help the city and its residents in the aftermath of the shooting.
NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell, who is from Jamestown, said it was important to put feet on the ground because, for the NFL, this is their community too.
"I have a personal connection to this community because it really is my home," Goodell said. "I think we wanted to make sure people here knew they weren't alone and we are all supportive of them. We all know we have a tragic circumstance here 10 victims but there's a lot more victims here still hurting."
WGRZ in Buffalo and The Associated Press contributed to this report.