In the early hours of a September morning, the city of Buffalo was waking up to news of a tragedy that had unfolded on Main Street. On September 12, 2023, at approximately 1:50 a.m., police responded to a call of a shooting in the 3100 block of the busy thoroughfare. Arriving at the scene, officers discovered the lifeless body of 28-year-old Thomas Davis, a male resident of the city.
He had been fatally shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial shock of the incident gave way to a determined investigation by Buffalo Police homicide detectives. Their efforts to piece together the events of that fateful morning led them to identify a suspect in the killing. Within a week of the shooting, an arrest was made, bringing a glimmer of resolution to a grieving community. The individual taken into custody was identified as 36-year-old Michael Barnes, also a resident of Buffalo.
Following his arrest, Michael Barnes was faced with serious charges in connection with the death of Thomas Davis. He was charged with Murder in the Second Degree, a class A-I felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony. As the legal process began to unfold, the community was left to mourn the loss of a young man whose life was cut short by violence. The case against Barnes is now proceeding through the court system.
