(Correction: An earlier version of this story did not correctly list the suspect’s name as Jeremy. This has since been corrected. News 4 regrets the error.)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Jeremy Griffin, 48, has been charged Friday after he allegedly opened fire at two different locations on Buffalo’s lower West Side. He’s facing a long list of charges, for allegedly shooting a woman in the leg on Pennsylvania Street and allegedly shooting three bullets in the Alba De Vida methadone clinic.
“While they were, like I said, close in time, they really were not connected at all,” Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told News 4.
The violence began at a home on Pennsylvania Street, where a woman was allegedly shot in the upper leg. She is expected to be okay. Griffin then walked to the Virginia Street clinic and allegedly fired one bullet at the wall using an AR-15 rifle with an illegal extended magazine.
A security guard at the Alba de Vida substance abuse treatment facility tackled the shooter and was able to apprehend him with the help of a second guard until police arrived. Two additional bullets were allegedly fired from Griffin’s gun during this altercation. Security guards were able to push Griffin outside when two bystanders also intervened to restrain Griffin.
“This could’ve gotten ugly really quick,” Flynn continued. “Due to the quick action, quite frankly heroic in my opinion, by the two security officers, no one got hurt there.”
Flynn did not go into detail, but he claims Griffin was known to the staff at the Alba De Vida clinic.
Griffin is charged with attempted murder and possession of a loaded firearm in connection to the Pennsylvania Street incident. He faces reckless endangerment, possession of an assault rifle and possession of an extended magazine for the second incident.
Although initial reports indicated it may have been an attempted armed robbery, Flynn disputed those claims, saying attempted robbery is not a consideration at this point.
“There doesn’t appear to be any, like I said, premeditation on his part, that he was going in there to do any kind of mass shooting,” Flynn said. “That doesn’t mean it couldn’t have turned into that obviously.”
In video taken during the arrest, Griffin appears disoriented. Flynn said that’s why Buffalo Police took Griffin to ECMC for a mental health evaluation. A judge ordered a full forensic exam on Griffin at his arraignment Friday.
“We asked the judge to get a forensic examination. I want to make sure he has a fair proceeding — a fair trial,” Flynn said. “Again, the last thing I want to do is prosecute someone who doesn’t have the mental capacity to understand what is going on.”
Griffin is being held without bail at the Erie County Holding Center. He is due back in court on Tuesday.
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Tara Lynch is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team as a reporter in 2022. She previously worked at WETM in Elmira, N.Y., a sister station of News 4. You can follow Tara on Facebook and Twitter and find more of her work here.