Man Accused in Buffalo Shootings Is Indicted on Federal Hate Crimes, Firearms Charges
The federal charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty
WASHINGTON — A grand jury on Wednesday indicted Buffalo mass shooting defendant Payton Gendron on federal hate crimes and firearms violations charges. Gendron, 19, was charged with 14 violations of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and 13 counts of federal firearms violations, law enforcement officials announced. The hate crimes charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty, the Justice Department said. Gendron is accused of using a Bushmaster XM rifle to kill 10 Blacks and injure three other people at the Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York, on May 14. The mass shooting prompted Congress to pass the first major gun control legislation in decades last month. Among other things, the law imposes tougher background checks for buyers under the age of 21. On June 1, Gendron was indicted by a state grand jury in New York on 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. New York is one of 23 states without the death penalty. Gendron has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. Before carrying out the attack, Gendron posted a 180-page document online acknowledging his role. "I am the sole perpetrator of this attack," he wrote. Gendron decided to carry out the attack, he wrote, because he wanted "to spread awareness to my fellow whites about the real problems the West is facing." Gendron was referring to a conspiracy theory known as the "Great Replacement," which holds that Western elites, Jews in particular, are bringing in immigrants to replace whites. In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, "The Justice Department fully recognizes the threat that white supremacist violence poses to the safety of the American people and American democracy. We will continue to be relentless in our efforts to combat hate crimes, to support the communities terrorized by them, and to hold accountable those who perpetrate them."