Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the burial of one of the ten people killed by a shooter at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday, calling the United States an “epidemic of hatred.”

Harris spoke at the burial of Ruth Whitfield, one of ten people murdered on May 14 when a shooter opened fire at a grocery shop. According to authorities, the gunman, who is White, targeted the grocery store because it is located in a predominately Black area.

“I cannot even begin to explain, as a nation, our collective anguish for what you are suffering in such an extreme way, to not only lose someone you love but through an act of tremendous violence and hatred.”

To cheers, Harris stated the Scripture teaches about strength, and that strength is determined by who “you boost up” rather than “who you tear down.”

“And it also means that with that power and awareness, we will not allow little individuals to instill fear in our communities, and we will not be scared to stand up for what is right, to speak up even though it may be painful to hear and speak,” she said.

She then linked the Buffalo incident to other shootings throughout the country, including one in Uvalde, Texas, where a shooter opened fire in an elementary school, killing 19 children and two adults.

“We are strong in our belief about what is right and our determination to act, to ensure that we protect all who deserve to be protected, that we see all who deserve to be seen, that we hear the voices of the people, and that we rise up in solidarity to speak out against this and to speak to our better angels,” she told the congregation.

President Biden spoke at the University of Delaware, where he mentioned the incident in Uvalde.

“We must be stronger in the face of such devastating forces. We must be more resilient “Biden informed the crowd.

“I understand that we cannot prohibit tragedy, but we can make America safer. We can now do what we need to do to preserve the lives of the folks and their four children.”