Garnell Whitfield
Assistant Commissioner of the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
In office
September 2017 – September 2019
GovernorAndrew Cuomo
Commissioner of the Buffalo Fire Department
In office
January 2010 – July 2017
Preceded byMichael Lombardo[1]
Succeeded byVincent V. Muscarella[2]
Personal details
Born
Garnell W. Whitfield, Jr.

Buffalo, New York, United States
SpouseCassieta
Children4
ResidenceBuffalo, New York
OccupationFirefighter

Garnell W. Whitfield, Jr. is the former fire commissioner of the Buffalo Fire Department in Buffalo, New York and a social justice advocate. He received national attention for spreading awareness of white supremacy and domestic terrorism after his mother, Ruth Whitfield, was killed in the 2022 Buffalo shooting.

Early life and career

Whitfield was born in Buffalo, New York to Ruth Whitfield and Garnell W. Whitfield, Sr.[3]

He started working as a firefighter in the Buffalo Fire Department in 1984. Throughout his career, he served as the city fire departments's chief fire administrator, deputy commissioner of administration and deputy commissioner of emergency services.[4]

In January 2010, Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown appointed Whitfield as the commissioner of the Buffalo Fire Department after the resignation of commissioner Michael Lombardo.[5][6] He was unanimously approved by the Buffalo Common Council.[5]

Whitfield retired from the Buffalo Fire Department in 2017.[7] Governor Andrew Cuomo then appointed Whitfield as the assistant commissioner of the New York Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, where he served from September 2017 until September 2019.[8]

2022 Buffalo shooting

His mother, Ruth Whitfield, was the oldest victim of the 2022 Buffalo shooting that occurred at a Tops Friendly Markets supermarket in the East Side neighborhood of Buffalo. He said he had been calling his mother and trying to locate her, until he found her car in the parking lot of the Tops Supermarket where the shooting occurred.[9]

She was 86 years old when the shooting occurred. Her funeral was attended by Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff. The Vice President met with Whitfield before his mother's funeral service.[10]

In an effort to raise awareness of white supremacy and domestic terrorism in the United States, Whitfield testified in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.[11][12]

Whitfield appeared on news outlets after the shooting alongside prominent civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who he retained for legal counsel in the wake of shooting.[13][14]

In June 2022, Whitfield was featured as a speaker at the March for Our Lives protest held in Washington, D.C.[15][16]

Personal life

Whitfield is married to his wife, Cassieta. They live in the East Side neighborhood of Buffalo.

He is a Christian.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Lombardo". Firehouse.com. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  2. ↑ Williams, Deidre (9 July 2020). "New Buffalo fire commissioner rose through the ranks". Buffalo News. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "Ruth Whitfield Obituary 2022". Legacy.com. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  4. ↑ WGRZ (1 July 2017). "Buffalo Fire Commissioner retires". WGRZ. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  5. 1 2 Meyer, Brian (26 May 2010). "Council approves Whitfield as fire commissioner". Buffalo News. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  6. ↑ Buckley, Eileen (30 December 2009). "Lombardo Steps Down as Buffalo Fire Commissioner". WBFO. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  7. ↑ Smallwood, Brittni (5 July 2017). "Buffalo fire commissioner explains why he decided to retire". WIVB. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  8. ↑ "Garnell Whitfield - Eradicate Hate Global Summit". Eradicatehatesummit.org. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  9. 1 2 Spina, Matthew (29 May 2022). "Ruth Whitfield's grieving family says a tragedy like this shouldn't happen again". Buffalo News. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  10. ↑ Ellis, Nicquel Terry (28 May 2022). "Oldest Buffalo massacre victim Ruth Whitfield honored at funeral service". CNN. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Testimony of Garnell Whitfield, Jr. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on "Examining the 'Metastasizing' Domestic Terrorism Threat After the Buffalo Attack"" (PDF). Judiciary.senate.gov. US Senate. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  12. ↑ Cathey, Libby (7 June 2022). "Son of Buffalo shooting victim to senators in hearing on domestic terrorism: 'What are you doing?'". ABC News. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "National Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump Retained by Family of Ruth Whitfield, Victim of Buffalo Mass Shooting". bencrump.com. Ben Crump. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  14. ↑ Stenett, Desiree (15 May 2022). "Attorney Ben Crump Hired to Represent Family of Buffalo Mass Shooting". Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  15. ↑ Avecedo, Nicole; Bendix, Aria; Griffith, Janelle (11 June 2022). "'March for Our Lives' protests against gun violence sweep nation". CNBC. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  16. ↑ Acevedo, Nicole; Bendix, Aria; Griffith, Janelle (11 June 2022). "'March for Our Lives' protests against gun violence sweep nation". NBC News.
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