President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid respects to the 10 Americans who lost their lives at the hands of a white supremacist mass shooter at a makeshift memorial just outside the Buffalo, New York supermarket that was the site of the racist attack.

       Mr and Ms Biden arrived at the Tops market location just after 10am ET on Tuesday, and walked hand-in-hand to a tree that has been covered in flowers and other tributes to the victims in the four days since the attack.

       After Ms Biden laid a bouquet of white flowers at the base of the tree, both the president and first lady appeared to pray for a moment, with Mr Biden crossing himself before standing with his hand over his heart.

       (REUTERS)

       Mr Biden and Ms Biden are set to meet with the families of those who lost their lives in the shooting, which was allegedly carried out by an 18-year-old who targeted the supermarket with the aim of killing as many Black Americans as possible.

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       Speaking aboard Air Force One during Mr Biden’s flight to Buffalo, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president and first lady will also meet with “law enforcement and first responders and local leaders … to offer their condolences and comfort to those affected by this tragedy,” before delivering remarks in which Mr Biden will “call this despicable act for what it is: Terrorism motivated by a hateful and perverse ideology that tears at the soul of our nation”.