WEATHER VERIFY

Video claiming to show Buffalo Walmart looting during blizzard is over two years old

A viral video claims to show a Buffalo Walmart being looted, but it wasn’t taken amid the deadly winter storm this year.

Author: Kelly Jones
Published: 2:08 PM CST December 27, 2022
Updated: 2:08 PM CST December 27, 2022

Since Dec. 24, Buffalo, New York, and surrounding areas received over four feet of snow in some places. More than 30 people have been confirmed dead in the blizzard. ... Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said during the storm there were reports of looting in the city, and arrests were made, VERIFY partner station WGRZ reported. ... At least one store in the city was boarded up to prevent further damage.

There are some videos online that claim to show shocking scenes of looting. One video, in particular, claiming to show a looting scene in Buffalo, has gone viral. The video shows the interior of a Walmart store, with shelves cleared and product boxes scattered throughout the store.

Link to tweet

THE QUESTION

Is this viral video of a looted Walmart from Buffalo in December 2022?

THE SOURCES

Walmart
Video from October 2020
Philadelphia Police Department
InVid, a video forensics tool

THE ANSWER



No, this video is not from Buffalo during the winter storm. It was taken at a Philadelphia Walmart Supercenter in October 2020.

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