City Grill Massacre
Title
City Grill Massacre
Creator
Description
One of the most horrific crimes in Buffalo history unfolded in the early morning hours of August 14, 2010. A gunman shot four people to death, execution style, and wounded four others. It happened at the City Grill restaurant on Buffalo’s Main Street.
The shootings followed an argument inside the restaurant. One of the victims who were shot to death had been celebrating his first wedding anniversary.
The gunman escaped, and during the days that followed, many Buffalo inner city residents lived in fear that there would be more bloodshed. Although there were more than a hundred patrons in the restaurant at the time of the shootings, authorities said they were having a hard time locating people willing to cooperate.
Buffalo police had arrested a suspect less than 12 hours after the shootings, but he turned out to be the wrong man.
Eleven days later, as authorities were closing in on another man who had emerged as the main “person of interest,” 23-year-old Riccardo McCray decided he would rather surrender peacefully than risk a showdown with Buffalo Police.
On August 25, 2010, community activists Darnell Jackson and Bishop Perry Davis brought McCray to WIVB-TV studios in North Buffalo. Jackson had contacted the station’s senior correspondent, Rich Newberg, the night before, indicating McCray was seeking a safe haven to surrender.
Newberg had a long history of reporting on the struggles of inner city residents, and had provided nightly updates following the City Grill shootings.
While McCray waited for his attorney to arrive, Newberg interviewed the suspect, who volunteered the fact that he had been at the City Grill at the time of the shootings, but denied being the shooter.
McCray was then peacefully taken into Buffalo Police custody and charged with first and second-degree murder and possession of a weapon.
At McCray’s trial, Newberg was called as a witness for the prosecution. His entire interview of McCray was played for the jury in a packed courtroom.
McCray was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The shootings followed an argument inside the restaurant. One of the victims who were shot to death had been celebrating his first wedding anniversary.
The gunman escaped, and during the days that followed, many Buffalo inner city residents lived in fear that there would be more bloodshed. Although there were more than a hundred patrons in the restaurant at the time of the shootings, authorities said they were having a hard time locating people willing to cooperate.
Buffalo police had arrested a suspect less than 12 hours after the shootings, but he turned out to be the wrong man.
Eleven days later, as authorities were closing in on another man who had emerged as the main “person of interest,” 23-year-old Riccardo McCray decided he would rather surrender peacefully than risk a showdown with Buffalo Police.
On August 25, 2010, community activists Darnell Jackson and Bishop Perry Davis brought McCray to WIVB-TV studios in North Buffalo. Jackson had contacted the station’s senior correspondent, Rich Newberg, the night before, indicating McCray was seeking a safe haven to surrender.
Newberg had a long history of reporting on the struggles of inner city residents, and had provided nightly updates following the City Grill shootings.
While McCray waited for his attorney to arrive, Newberg interviewed the suspect, who volunteered the fact that he had been at the City Grill at the time of the shootings, but denied being the shooter.
McCray was then peacefully taken into Buffalo Police custody and charged with first and second-degree murder and possession of a weapon.
At McCray’s trial, Newberg was called as a witness for the prosecution. His entire interview of McCray was played for the jury in a packed courtroom.
McCray was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
FEATURED REPORTS
CITY GRILL MASSACRE RETROSPECTIVE
1. WIVB-TV Anchor/Reporter Dave Greber’s retrospective dating back almost ten years includes footage from the City Grill massacre that had never been made public before. Greber interviews former WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg who reflects on the day Riccardo McCray was brought to him to surrender. McCray was later convicted of murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.
February 17, 2020
(Runs: 6:18)
SURRENDER OF RICCARDO MCCRAY
2. Shortly after handling the surrender of Riccardo McCray, the primary suspect in the City Grill shootings, WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg gave a first hand account of how it all unfolded. It was posted on the WIVB-TV website. Newberg would later testify at McCray’s trial. He was a witness for the prosecution. His entire interview of McCray was played for the jury.
August 2010
(Runs: 4:05)
FIRST TELEVISED REPORTS OF MCCRAY’S SURRENDER
WIVB-TV / News 4 Buffalo
August 25, 2010
(Runs: 13:44)
3. Reports begin with “Breaking News” cut-in to programming followed by Rich Newberg’s first reports on McCray’s surrender, McCray being charged with the City Grill shootings, community reaction, and potential use of Newberg’s interview with McCray as evidence by prosecutors.
MCCRAY ARRAIGNMENT
WIVB-TV / News 4 Buffalo
August 26, 2010
(Runs: 2:05)
4. Riccardo McCray is arraigned on charges including murder attempted murder, and weapons possession.
EXPERTS REVIEW MCCRAY SURRENDER AND
INTERVIEW
September 3, 2010
(Runs: 3:00)
5. WIVB-TV Legal Analyst Terry Connors and former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco review the video showing the McCray surrender and interview. They believe the interview by Rich Newberg could be used in court.
RICH NEWBERG TESTIFIES AT MCCRAY TRIAL
(March 25, 2011)
(Runs: 2:32)
6. WIVB-TV Investigative Reporter Luke Moretti reports on Rich Newberg’s testimony in court as a witness for the prosecution. Newberg said his role was to obtain information from McCray who chose to answer all the questions that were raised and denied being the shooter.
REPORT ON JURY DELIBERATIONS
(March 31, 2011)
(Runs: 3:22)
7. WIVB-TV reporter Laurie Schultz says jurors wanted to review the testimony of the getaway car driver. She then shows excerpts of closing arguments by the prosecution and defense. Her report includes surveillance video of the shootings used as evidence in McCray’s trial.
MCCRAY FOUND GUILTY (3/31/2011)
(Report Aired: April 1, 2011)
(Runs: 2:23)
8. After seven hours of deliberations, the jury finds Riccardo McCray guilty of three counts of first degree murder and several counts of attempted murder in the first degree. Prosecutors believe the surveillance video was powerful evidence in the trial.
McCray never took the stand and there were no witnesses who testified in his behalf.
MCCRAY SENTENCING
(June 2, 2011)
(Runs: 2:59)
9. Riccardo McCray receives the maximum sentence of life without parole. WIVB-TV reporter George Richert shows courtroom video of victims’ family members emotionally telling the judge the impact of McCray’s actions on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. McCray killed and wounded his victims by firing 10 shots within 17 seconds.
McCray stood up during sentencing and once again declared that he wasn’t the shooter. Upon passing sentence, Erie County Judge Sheila Di’Tullio told McCray, “You’re a thug and you’re a murderer and you’re a person with no remorse and no conscience. Quite simply, Riccardo McCray, you take a life and you get life.”
[42:05 —Total running time for segments 1 though 9]
COVERAGE OF CITY GRILL MASSACRE
RICH NEWBERG REPORTS
(August - September 2010)
(Runs: 1:09:16)
10. Comprehensive series of reports beginning with the morning of the shootings at the City Grill in downtown Buffalo and ending with the surrender of Riccardo McCray to Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg at WIVB-TV studios.
[1:09:16 — Total running time for these reports]
[1:51:34 — Total running time for 1 through 10]
CITY GRILL MASSACRE RETROSPECTIVE
1. WIVB-TV Anchor/Reporter Dave Greber’s retrospective dating back almost ten years includes footage from the City Grill massacre that had never been made public before. Greber interviews former WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg who reflects on the day Riccardo McCray was brought to him to surrender. McCray was later convicted of murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.
February 17, 2020
(Runs: 6:18)
SURRENDER OF RICCARDO MCCRAY
2. Shortly after handling the surrender of Riccardo McCray, the primary suspect in the City Grill shootings, WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg gave a first hand account of how it all unfolded. It was posted on the WIVB-TV website. Newberg would later testify at McCray’s trial. He was a witness for the prosecution. His entire interview of McCray was played for the jury.
August 2010
(Runs: 4:05)
FIRST TELEVISED REPORTS OF MCCRAY’S SURRENDER
WIVB-TV / News 4 Buffalo
August 25, 2010
(Runs: 13:44)
3. Reports begin with “Breaking News” cut-in to programming followed by Rich Newberg’s first reports on McCray’s surrender, McCray being charged with the City Grill shootings, community reaction, and potential use of Newberg’s interview with McCray as evidence by prosecutors.
MCCRAY ARRAIGNMENT
WIVB-TV / News 4 Buffalo
August 26, 2010
(Runs: 2:05)
4. Riccardo McCray is arraigned on charges including murder attempted murder, and weapons possession.
EXPERTS REVIEW MCCRAY SURRENDER AND
INTERVIEW
September 3, 2010
(Runs: 3:00)
5. WIVB-TV Legal Analyst Terry Connors and former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco review the video showing the McCray surrender and interview. They believe the interview by Rich Newberg could be used in court.
RICH NEWBERG TESTIFIES AT MCCRAY TRIAL
(March 25, 2011)
(Runs: 2:32)
6. WIVB-TV Investigative Reporter Luke Moretti reports on Rich Newberg’s testimony in court as a witness for the prosecution. Newberg said his role was to obtain information from McCray who chose to answer all the questions that were raised and denied being the shooter.
REPORT ON JURY DELIBERATIONS
(March 31, 2011)
(Runs: 3:22)
7. WIVB-TV reporter Laurie Schultz says jurors wanted to review the testimony of the getaway car driver. She then shows excerpts of closing arguments by the prosecution and defense. Her report includes surveillance video of the shootings used as evidence in McCray’s trial.
MCCRAY FOUND GUILTY (3/31/2011)
(Report Aired: April 1, 2011)
(Runs: 2:23)
8. After seven hours of deliberations, the jury finds Riccardo McCray guilty of three counts of first degree murder and several counts of attempted murder in the first degree. Prosecutors believe the surveillance video was powerful evidence in the trial.
McCray never took the stand and there were no witnesses who testified in his behalf.
MCCRAY SENTENCING
(June 2, 2011)
(Runs: 2:59)
9. Riccardo McCray receives the maximum sentence of life without parole. WIVB-TV reporter George Richert shows courtroom video of victims’ family members emotionally telling the judge the impact of McCray’s actions on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. McCray killed and wounded his victims by firing 10 shots within 17 seconds.
McCray stood up during sentencing and once again declared that he wasn’t the shooter. Upon passing sentence, Erie County Judge Sheila Di’Tullio told McCray, “You’re a thug and you’re a murderer and you’re a person with no remorse and no conscience. Quite simply, Riccardo McCray, you take a life and you get life.”
[42:05 —Total running time for segments 1 though 9]
COVERAGE OF CITY GRILL MASSACRE
RICH NEWBERG REPORTS
(August - September 2010)
(Runs: 1:09:16)
10. Comprehensive series of reports beginning with the morning of the shootings at the City Grill in downtown Buffalo and ending with the surrender of Riccardo McCray to Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg at WIVB-TV studios.
[1:09:16 — Total running time for these reports]
[1:51:34 — Total running time for 1 through 10]
Contributor
Date
2010-08-14 (Shootings take place)
2010-08-25 (McCray surrenders)
2011-03-31 (Found Guilty)
2011-06-02 (Sentenced to life without parole)
2010-08-25 (McCray surrenders)
2011-03-31 (Found Guilty)
2011-06-02 (Sentenced to life without parole)
Subject
Source
Rich Newberg Reports Collection
Publisher
WIVB (Television Station: Buffalo, N.Y.)
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
Rights
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
Relation
Digital Collections of the B&ECPL
Type
Moving Image
Format
video/mp4
Language
Collection
Citation
Newberg, Rich (Writer, Reporter) et al., “City Grill Massacre,” B&ECPL Digital Collections, accessed December 26, 2024, https://digital.buffalolib.org/document/1908.