Outsiders to blame for much of downtown damage overnight

City officials said outsiders were to blame for much of Saturday night/Sunday morning's property damage.

BUT HOW DID THINGSGET SO OUT OF HANDLAST NIGHT?SEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALITOUHEY SPOKE WITHSOME OF THE PEOPLEWHO WERE THERE.SHE JOINS US NOWLIVE FROM NIAGARASQUARE WITH MORE..OUT HERE IN NIAGARASQUARE--A VERYDIFFERENT NIAGARASQUARE FROM 24HOURS AGO...AD LIB IFPROTESTORS ARETHERE.CITY OFFICIALS ARENOW SAYINGOUTSIDERS---THOSEWHO DO NOT RESIDEIN BUFFALO--ARE TOBLAME FOR MUCH OFTHE CRIME HEREOVERNIGHT.TAKE PACKAGE:03NAT OPEN: THERE'STOO MANY NAMES.THERE REALLY IS.ROKIA KAY IS ONE OFHUNDREDS WHOWERE PART OFSATURDAY'S PROTESTUNDER THE PRETENSEIT WOULD BEPEACEFUL.SOT :04I CAME OUT HERE FORTHIS.

BLACK LIVESMATTER.BUT THE 23 YEAR OLDFROM BUFFALO SAYSTHAT MESSAGE WASLOST WHEN THEDEMONSTRATIONTURNEDDESTRUCTIVE.SOT :07I GOT STUCK.

I'M TIREDOF BEING STUCK.

WEGOT STUCK BETWEENLOOTERS ANDSHOOTERS.LOOTERSAFTERDARKSTARTINGFIRES AND BREAKINGDOWNTOWNBUSINESS WINDOWS.POLICE USING PEPPERBALLS AMONG OTHERTACTICS TO HELPDISPERSE THECROWD.CITY OFFICIALS SAYOUTSIDERSAND NOTTHE ORIGINAL GROUPOF PROTESTORS ORITSORGANIZERSESCALATED THESITUATION.SOT :12BROWN: THEIR GOALWAS TO INSIGHTVIOLENCE AND GETPEOPLE FROM HERE TOBECOME VIOLENT.SOT :08ALI: WHAT YOUWITNESSED INBUFFALO LAST NIGHT,HAVE YOU SEENSOMETHING LIKE THATBEFORE?

NEVER.BUFFALO NEVEREXPLODES TO THATDEGREE.WHICH IS WHY PASTORJAMES GILES ALSOBELIEVESOUTSIDERSMANY OFWHOM WERE WHITEARE CHIEFLYRESPONSIBLE.HE RUNS BUFFALOPEACEMAKERSAPROGRAM DEVOTEDTO HELPING KEEPPEACE BETWEENPROTESTORS ANDPOLICE OFFICERS INSITUATIONS JUST LIKESATURDAY.

HE SAYSOUTSIDERS STARTEDTHE DESTRUCTIONAND HE BELIEVESYOUNGER BUFFALORESIDENTSFOLLOWED SUIT.

HE'SHERE TO SAYVIOLENCE IS NOT THEANSWER.SOT :09DON'T HURT INNOCENTPEOPLE.

YOU'REHURTING BUSINESSES.SOME OF THESEPEOPLE MAY NOT BEABLE TO RECOVERFROM THE DAMAGEYOU DO.MEANTIMEPROTESTORS LIKEROKAI KAY ARE BACKIN NIAGARA SQUARESUNDAY DETERMINEDTO PROTEST AND DOIT PEACEFULLY IN THENAME OF GEORGEFLOYD.SOT :09I DON'T WANT MYMESSAGE TO GET LOSTBECAUSE THEN I GETSILENCED AGAIN.

WITHTHE LOOTERS AND THESHOOTERS, I'M STUCKBETWEEN A ROCK ANDA HARD PLACE.BACK OUT HERE LIVE...SCENE SETTER.WE WANT TO GETSCENE SETTERBETWEEN A ROCK ANDA HARD PLACE.WE WANT TO GWE WANT TO GETBACK NOW TO THEMAN CAUGHT ONCAMERA SETTING CITYHALL ON FIRE.POLICE HAVERELEASED THISPICTURE OF THE MANBELIEVED TO BERESPONSIBLE.THEY SAY THEYALREADY HAVESEVERAL LEADS AS TOWHO HE MIGHT BE.THIS IS EXCLUSIVSCENE SETTER