According to Shea's Performing Arts Center, Chappelle reportedly made the announcement following his stand-up show in Buffalo, Sunday.
Dave Chappelle is reportedly donating ticket sales from his stand-up show in Buffalo, New York to the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Tops supermarket on May 14. Casualties from the attack include 10 people who were killed and three who were wounded last month when a teen staged what police deemed a racially motivated attack at the Buffalo-area supermarket.
According to Shea's Performing Arts Center, where Chappelle performed Sunday, the comedian announced at the end of his show, that he would donate the night's ticket sales to the family members of the victims -- some of whom were in the audience at Chapelle's invitation.
"He said, and I’m paraphrasing, I came here to Buffalo to recognize the victims and for these families," Kevin Sweeney, director of marketing and communications for Shea’s Performing Arts Center, said.
The comedian booked his appearance at the 3,019-seat arena just four days prior. Tickets went on sale Thursday morning and sold out within an hour.
"We were notified on Wednesday," Sweeney said. "But it’s my understanding that he’ll do things last-minute."
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 the shooter exited his vehicle at a Tops Friendly Market, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said at a news conference following the tragedy. The suspect was "very heavily armed" and had a tactical helmet and gear, Gramaglia said. Police said he also had a camera and was live-streaming the shooting.
The shooter has since been charged with murder in what officials are calling a hate crime and a case of racially motivated violent extremism.
"This was pure evil," said Erie County Sheriff John Garcia. "This was a straight-up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community."
Chappelle is dealing with his own incident of violence, after last month, a man allegedly armed with a knife stormed on stage in an attempt to attack the funny man during his comedy set at the "Netflix is a Joke" festival.
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