Payton Gendron verdict: Buffalo supermarket gunman to serve life in prison

© Provided by Washington Examiner

The Buffalo supermarket gunman who took the lives of 10 people will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Payton Gendron, 19, was sentenced on Wednesday after pleading guilty in November 2022 to 15 criminal charges, including domestic terrorism and first-degree murder. On May 14, Gendron opened fire in a Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 people and injuring three others.

SIX OF THE BIGGEST CRIME STORIES IN 2022

The supermarket was located in a predominantly black area of Buffalo and all of the deceased victims were black, an intentional move on Gendron's part. He posted a 180-page manifesto online in which he confessed to the attack and said his actions were racially motivated. He labeled himself as a fascist, white supremacist, and anti-Semite.

Wednesday's sentencing lasted several hours, with tensions running high in the courtroom. At one point, a victim's relative lunged at Gendron, prompting officers to take the convicted shooter out of the room.

"You don’t know what we’re going through,” the relative shouted as he was also led away by court officers.

Several other victims' relatives testified before the judge and Gendron on how the shooting impacted their lives.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Gendron faces 26 counts of federal hate crimes, as well, which he has not pleaded guilty to. The federal charges carry a death sentence, should the U.S. Justice Department choose to pursue that.

The Justice Department has not yet announced a date for their case against Gendron, which will likely be decided based upon Wednesday’s sentencing. Gendron’s guilty plea in the state charges was largely designed to potentially avoid a death penalty sentence from the federal government. As New York does not have a death penalty, the criminal charge of terrorism in his state case automatically carried a life sentence.

The shooting at the Buffalo supermarket was one of the largest mass shootings in 2022 and one of the most high profile crimes of the year.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: New York, Mass Shootings, News, African Americans, Crime

Original Author: Rachel Schilke

Original Location: Payton Gendron verdict: Buffalo supermarket gunman to serve life in prison