VP Kamala Harris and her husband entered Mt. Olive Baptist Church for the funeral of Ruth Whitfield at 12:08 p.m., sitting in the front row of the huge, modern chapel. Scattered applause greeted their entry.
Before coming to the church, Harris met with members of the Whitfield family, a White House official confirmed.
Ruth Whitfield was one of the 10 victims of the Buffalo mass shooting that took place on May 14, 2022.
Other public officials in attendance included New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown, and Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz.
The service began with a hymn, and the VP Harris swayed back and forth and clapped to the tune.
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Whitfield family and other families of those shot to death in the Buffalo attack, spoke at the start of the service. Rev. Al Sharpton is also here.
Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy and at the start, asked the elected officials in the room to stand — and the VP was among the last to stand. When she did, she smiled and waved at the other public officials to her right in the church.
Later, when Sharpton lauded the fact that Buffalo reacted peacefully after the attack, she stood and applauded.
Sharpton said he asked Harris to come to the service, but she made clear that she didn’t want to speak.
