Alleged mass shooter Payton S. Gendron faces multiple federal hate crimes charges carrying the potential of the death penalty in the killing of 10 people last month at a Buffalo, New York, supermark, the US Justice Department said Wednesday.
The 18-year-old suspect is charged with 10 counts of hate crime resulting in death, three counts of hate crime involving bodily injury, 10 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a violent crime, and three counts of use and discharge of a firearm during a violent crime, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint filed by prosecutors in the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York states that, “Gendron’s motive for the mass shooting was to prevent Black people from replacing white people and eliminating the white race, and to inspire others to commit similar attacks.”
Gendron, wie is Wit, is accused of shooting 13 mense, ouderdomme 20 aan 86, at the Tops Friendly Market on May 14. Eleven were Black and two were White, Buffalo police said.
The US Department of Justice was investigating the shooting “as a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism,” according to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
On June 1, a grand jury in New York returned a 25-count indictment against Gendron. Hy staar in die gesig 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime and three counts of attempted murder as a hate crime, volgens hofstukke. Gendron is also facing a charge of domestic terror and a weapons charge, volgens hofstukke. He pleaded not guilty to the indictment.
The suspect arrived at the supermarket on the afternoon of May 14 heavily armed and wearing tactical gear — including a tactical helmet along with plated armor, polisie gesê. He also had a camera that was live streaming his actions.
Using an assault weapon, the gunman shot four people outside of the grocery store, three fatally, owerhede gesê.
When he entered the store, he exchanged fire with an armed security guard, who authorities said was a retired Buffalo police officer. The security guard died of his injuries. The suspect shot eight more people in the store, six of whom died.
