Sunday 22 May 2022 06:16 PM Scammers try to steal $40,000 from GoFundMe for Buffalo shooting hero security ... trends now Scammers have tried to steal $40,000 from a GoFundMe set up to help the family of a Buffalo security guard who died trying to take down an active shooter. Aaron Salter Jr., 55, was working as a security guard at the Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo, New York on May 14 when a gunman walked into the store with an assault rifle. He immediately sprang into action - and pulled out his own weapon, firing multiple times at the gunman - who was later identified as 18-year-old Payton Gendron - but his bullets were unable to pierce Gendron's armored plating, and Gendron was able to return fire - killing Salter. In the aftermath, his son, Aaron Salter III created a GoFundMe to help the family financially, writing last Monday: 'Please donate in this tragic time to help the family with this unforeseen tragedy.' But as the GoFundMe surpassed $40,000 in donations this week, TMZ reports, it was targeted by a scammer who tried to steal Aaron Salter III's personal information and bank account numbers. He told the outlet that he was combing through messages on the page, when he saw one from a user claiming they wanted to donate $4,000. When he clicked on the message, though, Salter III said his personal information was sent to someone in Mississippi. Fortunately, he said he was able to get in touch with someone at the fundraising website - and they got the account back in his family's hands. A spokesperson later confirmed to TMZ that they responded to a phishing attempt against the Salter family and were able to secure the account. The funds - which have now topped $45,000 - are now being delivered once again to the family. Retired Buffalo Police Department cop Aaron Salter, pictured right, was working as a store security guard and shot suspect Payton Gendron, who returned fire and killed Salter In the aftermath of his death on May 14, his son Aaron Salter III (pictured) set up a GoFundMe for the family Aaron Salter III said a scammer tried to get the $40,000 from the GoFundMe Salter Jr. was hailed as a hero following the mass shooting at the Buffalo supermarket where 10 black people were killed at the hands of an apparent white supremacist. He had previously worked as a Buffalo Police Department officer for 30 years - joining after he graduated from high school. During his time in the force, he helped put out a kitchen fire and was able to catch the arsonist as he tried to escape in 1992. Gendron, of Conklin, New York, was indicted by a grand jury on a single count of first-degree murder Four years later, Salter and his partner responded to a burglary in progress when they were confronted by a 25-year-old man, who approached them from behind and pointed a loaded 12-gauge shotgun at them. Salter's partner quickly responded, shooting at the assailant, but missing. Still, Salter said, those quick reflexes likely saved his life. 'My first reaction was to duck,' he told the Buffalo News at the time. 'I don't enjoy looking down the barrel of a shotgun, and if it hadn't been for my partner shooting first, it would have been a golden opportunity to shoot us. 'My partner probably saved us.' Salter, a father of three, later retired from the Buffalo Police Department, and decided to take a job at the supermarket where his late mother, Carol, worked a s a cashier for 15 years before serving as a front-end manager until her retirement in 1986, according to the Daily Beast. She and her late husband, Aaron Salter Sr., then opened a dry cleaners, which they ran until it closed in 1998. Outside of his police and security work, Salter was said to be interested in green energy and had set up his own company. 'I'm always working on my vehicles and or my project of running engines on water for the last four years or so,' he wrote on LinkedIn. 'I would like to realize my dream of getting cars to run off of water using my newly discovered energy source some day.' By 2015, he shared a video on Facebook of his hydrogen-electrolysis powered Ford F150 pickup truck, which he said could be started with gasoline and then switched over to run on water. 'The guys used to laugh at me,' he said in an interview that same year as he described a solar array he once installed at his home. He was said to be a big fan of the ABC show Shark Tank, and after seeing pictures of him posing with posters advertising one of the sharks, Daymond John, the shark decided to help the Salter family pay for the funeral expenses. Outside of his police work, Salter was said to be interested in green energy and had set up his own company. He was said to be a big fan of Shark Tank host Daymond John, who has now offered to pay for Salter's funeral expenses Salter's family now remembers him as a hero, with his son, Aaron Salter III telling the Daily Beast: 'Today is a shock. 'I'm pretty sure he saved some lives today. He's a hero.' Johnny Juliano, who claims to be one of his cousins, also posted a tribute to the late police officer, describing him as 'a true hero who risked his life trying to defend those helpless during a racist attack/ mass shooting . 'Retired BPD who was loved by all you [truly] will be missed and remembered for your heroic gesture,' he wrote. That proved to be true as Buffalo Police Chief Joseph Gramaglia described Salter as 'a beloved security guard' and 'a hero in our eyes.' And just a few days later, President Joe Biden paid tribute to the fallen security guard as he honored 15 public safety officers, including two officers who died in the line of duty, during a ceremony in the East Room last Monday. 'He gave his life when a gunman shot and killed 10 innocent people in a grocery store in Buffalo on Saturday. He was actually able to shoot the assailant twice but he had on a bulletproof vest. He lost his life in the process,' Biden said at the Medal of Valor event at the White House. The Medal of Valor is awarded to public safety officers who have exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect others from harm. 'No one understands more than all of you here today the pain and anguish all the families in Buffalo feel,' Biden said. 'You are part of a special community because fire fighters and police officers will always be there for you,' he said. 'I want to say a special thanks to you all for being here because I know it's hard.' All ten of of the victims of the Tops Friendly Markets mass shooting have been named by family members. They are all black Several of the other victims of Saturday's brutal shooting were just everyday residents doing their shopping, including Ruth Whitfield, an 86-year-old grandmother, who is also the mother of former Buffalo fire commissioner Garnell Whitfield, was killed while shopping for groceries. She had just visited her husband in a nursing home and decided to stop at the Tops on her way home to get something to eat, WGRZ reported. Geraldine Talley, 62, had also stopped by the grocery store to pick up food for dinner, People reports and had asked her fiancée to go to another aisle to retrieve something off one of the shelves when the gunfire started. The two were soon separated, and Talley died in the gunfire. She is a mother of two children - Genicia Talley, 42, and Mark Talley, 32, and was also like a second mother to her niece, Kesha Chapman. Talley is now remembered for her mouth-watering cheesecake, People reports. 'She was truly an amazing woman, and I'm going to miss her dearly,' Chapman-Johnson said told ABC News. Katherine Massey, 72, was also at the supermarket on Saturday to do her grocery shopping when she was fatally shot. Her brother was supposed to pick her up after she finished her errands. Massey was a civil rights and education advocate. Former Erie County Legislator Betty Jean Grant, who had known Massey for over 20 years, told The Buffalo News that she 'did everything she could to lift up Buffalo's black community.' Last year, Massey wrote a letter calling for more federal regulation of firearms, citing both urban street violence and mass shootings. Pearly Young, 77, who fed needy residents in Buffalo's Central Park neighborhood for 25 years, was another victim who was shot and killed during the massacre, 11Alive reporter Madison Carter tweeted. Young, originally of Alabama, moved to New York as a young adult and married a pastor. She had gone to lunch with her sister-in-law on Saturday and was dropped off at the grocer afterwards. Her son was expected to pick her up, but when he arrived at the store, the scene was in total chaos. Her relatives told Alabama.com Young will be remembered for her love for God and her family. Celestine Chaney, 65, who was at the supermarket to buy strawberries for shortcake, was killed during the shooting, her son, Wayne Jones, 48, confirmed. She was also picking up some shrimp her husband, Raymond. The loving mother and grandmother-of-six was at the supermarket with her older sister, JoAnn Daniels. Daniels told The Buffalo Times she never saw Gendron, but heard the sounds of his assault rifle. She and Chaney were trying to flee when the 65-year-old was shot. 'She fell and I thought she had got up and was behind me, but she wasn't behind me,' Daniels recalled. Roberta Drury, 32, was at the store to buy groceries for dinner when she was fatally shot, her sister Amanda Drury, 34, said. She had moved to Buffalo from the Syracuse, New York, area to be with her older brother after his bone marrow transplant, her sister, Amanda Drury, told Reuters. Drury helped him with his bar, The Dalmatia, and with his family. 'She was vibrant and outgoing, could talk to anyone,' Amanda said. Andre Mackniel, 53, who also went by Andre Elliot, was in town visiting relatives. He was at the store on Saturday to pick up a surprise birthday cake for his grandson, USA Today reports. But 'he never came out with the cake,' his cousin Clarissa Alston-McCutcheon said, describing her cousin as a 'loving and caring guy' who 'loved family' and 'was always there for his family. Heyward Patterson, who would often give people rides to and from the supermarket and help them carry their groceries, was also among the 10 people fatally shot, according to Patterson's great niece Teniqua Clark. He earned the nickname 'Jitney' because of his help at the grocer. He was also a church deacon and would welcome parishioners and escort them to their seats. 'He would give the shirt off his back,' his wife, Tirzah Patterson, told The Buffalo News. 'That’s who he is. He wouldn’t hurt anybody. Whatever he had, he’d give it to you.' And Margus Morrison, 52, was a father of three who was an active bus aide for Buffalo schools since February 2019, USA Today reports. His family later confirmed he was killed in the deadly shooting. Gendron, 18, wore all orange as he's brought into the courtroom Thursday and indicted on first-degree murder Gendron, meanwhile, was indicted by a grand jury on a single count of first-degree murder. He appeared in court Thursday wearing a white mask and bright orange jail scrubs, remaining silent throughout the proceeding despite being heckled by a victim's distraught family member who yelled out: 'Payton, you coward!' The first-degree murder indictment, which covers all 10 deaths, was handed up Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Gary Hackbush announced in court. In New York, prosecutors can charge a defendant with first-degree murder only under special circumstances, including when multiple people are killed in a single incident, like in the Buffalo shooting that claimed the lives of 10 people on Saturday. The single count against Gendron covers all 10 deaths at Tops Friendly Market. No domestic terror charges have been filed in federal court at this time but he also faces domestic terrorism charges. Gendron will be back in court on June 9 at 9:30 a.m. He is being held without bail. THE VICTIMS OF THE 'RACIALLY-MOTIVATED' BUFFALO SUPERMARKET SHOOTING Ten people were killed in a mass shooting at a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York on May 14. Retired Buffalo Police Department cop Aaron Salter was killed after trying to shoot back at the alleged shooter Aaron Salter Jr., 75 Salter is a retired Buffalo police officer who worked as a security guard at the supermarket. He was fatally shot after confronting accused shooter Payton Gendron inside the store. Salter's shots failed to penetrate Gendron's armored vest, officials confirmed to CBS News, After he shot at Gendron, the teen returned fire, killing Salter. Ruth Whitfield, 86, the mother of former Buffalo fire commissioner Garnell Whitfield, was also killed in the attack Ruth Whitfield, 86 Whitfield had just visited her husband in a nursing home and decided to stop at the Tops on her way home to get something to eat, WGRZ reported. She was also the mother of Former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, according to the television station. Following the shooting, he said during an interview with the Buffalo News: 'My mom was the consummate mom. My mother was a mother to the motherless. She was a blessing to all of us. She loved God and taught us to do the same thing,' he said. Katherine Massey, 72, had gone to the supermarket to do her grocery shopping when she was fatally shot Katherine Massey, 72 She had gone to the supermarket to do her grocery shopping when she was fatally shot. Her brother was supposed to pick her up after she finished her errands, but arrived to the grisly aftermath of a mass shooting. Massey was a civil rights and education advocate. Former Erie County Legislator Betty Jean Grant, who had known Massey for over 20 years, told The Buffalo News that she 'did everything she could to lift up Buffalo's black community.' Last year, Massey wrote a letter calling for more federal regulation of firearms, citing both urban street violence and mass shootings. Pearly Young, 77, who fed needy residents in Buffalo's Central Park neighborhood for 25 years, was also killed Pearly Young, 77 Young fed needy residents in Buffalo's Central Park neighborhood for 25 years. Young, originally from Alabama, moved to New York as a young adult and married a pastor. She had gone to lunch with her sister-in-law on Saturday and was dropped off at the grocer afterwards. Her son was expected to pick her up, but when he arrived at the store, all was in chaos. Her relatives told Alabama.com Young will be remembered for her love for God and her family. Celestine Chaney, 65, who was at the supermarket to buy strawberries for shortcake at the time of the shooting Celestine Chaney, 65 Chaney was a breast cancer survivor, was at the supermarket with her older sister, JoAnn Daniels, because she wanted to buy strawberries for shortcake. The loving mother and grandmother-of-six was also picking up some shrimp for her husband, Raymond. Daniels told The Buffalo Times she never saw Gendron, but heard the sounds of his assault rifle. She and Chaney were trying to flee when the 65-year-old was shot. 'She fell and I thought she had got up and was behind me, but she wasn't behind me,' Daniels recalled. Roberta Drury, 32, was at the store to buy groceries for dinner. She had moved to the area to close to her older brother Roberta Drury, 32 Drury was at the store to buy groceries for dinner when the shooting began. She had moved to Buffalo from the Syracuse, New York, area to be with her older brother after his bone marrow transplant, her sister, Amanda Drury, told Reuters. Drury helped him with his bar, The Dalmatia, and with his family. 'She was vibrant and outgoing, could talk to anyone,' Amanda said. Heyward Patterson, 68, often give people rides to and from the supermarket and would help them carry their groceries Heyward Patterson, 68 He often give people rides to and from the supermarket and would help them carry their groceries. This role earned him the nickname 'Jitney.' He was also a church deacon and would welcome parishioners and escort them to their seats. 'He would give the shirt off his back,' his wife, Tirzah Patterson, told The Buffalo News. 'That’s who he is. He wouldn’t hurt anybody. Whatever he had, he’d give it to you.' Geraldine Talley, right, entered the store on Saturday with her fiancée to pick up a few items for dinner Geraldine Talley, 62 Talley is a mother of two children - Genicia Talley, 42, and Mark Talley, 32, and was also like a second mother to her niece, Kesha Chapman. She had entered the store on Saturday to just pick up a few items, her sister, Kaye Chapman-Johnson told ABC News. She had told her fiancée to go to another aisle to retrieve something off one of the shelves when the gunfire started. Talley is now remembered for her mouth-watering cheesecake, People reports. 'She was truly an amazing woman, and I'm going to miss her dearly,' Chapman-Johnson said of her sister. Andre Mackniel, 53, was in town visiting relatives and went to the store to pick up a surprise birthday cake for his grandson Andre Mackniel, 53 Andre Mackniel, who also went by Andre Elliot, was in town visiting relatives. He was at the store on Saturday to pick up a surprise birthday cake for his grandson, USA Today reports. But 'he never came out with the cake,' his cousin Clarissa Alston-McCutcheon said, describing her cousin as a 'loving and caring guy' who 'loved family' and 'was always there for his family.' He was listed as 'engaged' on his Facebook page. Mackniel, of Auburn, New York, was self-employed, but used to work at Buffalo Wild Wings, according to Finger Lakes Daily News. Margus Morrison was a father-of-three and an active bus aide for Buffalo schools since February 2019 Margus Morrison, 52 Margus Morrison was a father of three who was an active bus aide for Buffalo schools since February 2019, USA Today reports. His family later confirmed he was killed in the deadly shooting. Advertisement All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility