White supremacist jailed for life after killing 10 black people in New York
A man charged toward Buffalo gunman Payton Gendron as tensions boiled over in the courtroom
White supremacist Payton Gendron, who killed 10 Black people in a New York supermarket, was taken out of a courtroom after someone in the audience rushed at him.
The 19-year-old will have no chance of parole, meaning he will spend the rest of his life behind bars after the mass shooting in the city of Buffalo in May last year.
During an emotional sentencing hearing on Wednesday, relatives of his victims had a chance to confront him with the pain caused by his racist attack.
That anger briefly turned physical when he was charged at by a man in the audience, who was quickly restrained.
Courtroom footage shows officers bundling Gendron out of the room for his own safety while colleagues attempted to calm the situation.
Gendron, whose hatred was fuelled by racist conspiracy theories he encountered online and targeted a predominately black community far from his nearly all-white hometown of Conklin.
He wrote online that he specifically sought black shoppers at workers at the Tops market – a three-hour drive from his home.
In documents posted online, Gendron said he hoped the attack would preserve white power in the US.
He wore bullet-resistant armour and a helmet equipped with a livestreaming camera as he carried out his attack.
He’d purchased his semi-automatic rifle legally, but then modified it so he could load it with illegal high-capacity ammunition magazines.
There were only three survivors among the 13 people he shot on May 14 last year.
His victims, aged 32 to 86, included a church deacon, the grocery store's guard, a neighbourhood activist and a man shopping for a birthday cake.
They also included a grandmother of nine and the mother of a former Buffalo fire commissioner.
Some angrily condemned Gendron, while others quoted from the Bible or said they were praying for him.
Wayne Jones Sr., the only child of victim Celestine Chaney told the defendant he’d been “brainwashed”.
“You don’t even know black people that much to hate them. You learned this on the internet, and it was a big mistake,” he said.
“I hope you find it in your heart to apologise to these people, man. You did wrong for no reason.”
Gendron pleaded guilty in November to crimes including murder and domestic terrorism motivated by hate, a charge that carried an automatic life sentence.
“There can be no mercy for you, no understanding, no second chances,” Judge Susan Eagan said as she sentenced him.
Gendron also faces separate federal charges that could carry a death sentence if the US Justice Department chooses to seek it.
However, his admission of guilt in state court might help him avoid execution, and New York state does not have the death penalty.
His defence attorney said in December that the defendant is prepared to plead guilty in federal court as well to avoid being executed.
Tamika Harper, a niece of victim Geraldine Talley, said she hoped Gendron would pray for forgiveness.
“Do I hate you? No. Do I want you to die? No. I want you to stay alive. I want you to think about this every day of your life,” she said in a gentle tone.
“Think about my family and the other nine families that you’ve destroyed forever.”
Gendron locked eyes with Ms Harper as she spoke, then lowered his head and cried.
Christopher Braden, a Tops Friendly Market employee who was shot in the leg, said he was haunted by seeing the victims where they lay as he was carried out of the store.
“The visions haunt me in my sleep and every day,” he said.
In his short statement, Gendron acknowledged he “shot and killed people because they were black”.
“I believed what I read online and acted out of hate, and now I can’t take it back, but I wish I could, and I don’t want anyone to be inspired by me,” he said.
As he spoke, a woman in the courtroom audience stood up and screamed that “we don’t need" his remarks before storming out.
The Buffalo shooting, and another less than two weeks later that killed 19 students and two teachers at a school in Uvalde, Texas, amplified calls for stronger gun controls.
New York legislators quickly passed a law banning semiautomatic rifle sales to most people under age 21, and the state also banned sales of some types of body armour.
President Joe Biden signed a compromise gun violence bill in June intended to toughen background checks, and help states implement red flag laws to take weapons from people classed as dangerous.
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