On Thursday, government prosecutors indicted the 19-year-old white man accused of opening fire inside a Buffalo supermarket, killing 10 in his targeted hunt for black victims.
The Department of Justice charged Payton Gendron with a 27-count indictment, including 10 counts of hate crimes resulting in death; three counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill three injured individuals; and 13 counts of using, carrying, or discharging a firearm in relation to the hate crime.
“Gendron committed the offense after substantial planning and premeditation to commit an act of terrorism,” the DOJ indictment reads.
With his numerous indictments, Gendron faces the death penalty or life in prison if convicted.
Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder ordered federal prosecutors to decide within 30 days whether they plan to seek the death penalty.
“Today, a grand jury has indicted Payton Gendron with hate crime and firearms offenses following the horrific attack on the black community of Buffalo that killed 10 people and injured three others on May 14, 2022,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
“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,” Garland added.
Presently, Gendron is being held without bail on state charges, including 10 counts of first-degree murder and domestic terrorism.
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