Federal prosecutors are seeking the death sentence for the guy who killed ten black people at a Buffalo grocery store in 2022. According to TSR, the suspect, Payton Gendron, was sentenced to life without parole in February 2023. According to ABC News, on Friday, January 12, federal prosecutors filed a petition in court stating their desire to seek the death sentence against Gendron.
“United States believes the circumstances in Counts 11–20 of the Indictment are such that, in the event of a conviction, a sentence of death is justified,” as reported by the outlet.
The particular sequencing of the counts against Gendron remains unknown. However, he had previously been charged with ten charges of “hate crime resulting in death” and three counts of “hate crime involving bodily injury and attempt to kill.” Gendron faces ten charges of “Use of Firearm to Commit Murder” and three counts of “Use and Discharge of Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.”
“Gendron intentionally killed Roberta Drury, Pearl Young, Hayward Patterson, Ruth Whitfield, Celestine Chaney, Aaron W. Salter Jr., Andre Mackniel, Marcus Morrison, Katherine Massey, and Geraldine Talley,” the filing reportedly explained. “Payton Gendron expressed bias, hatred, and contempt toward Black persons, and his animus toward Black persons played a role.”
As reported by The Guardian, Gendron chose the grocery site to increase the number of Black victims, who are often elderly and infirm.
On Friday, prosecutors informed Judge Lawrence Vilardo of their submission. However, Gendron was not present at this hearing.
According to ABC News, the matter will be heard again on February 2, 2024.
The horrific shooting took place on May 14, 2022, at Tops Friendly Markets. Gendron pled guilty to the charge in November 2022.
“I’m very sorry for all the pain I forced the victims and their families to suffer through. I’m very sorry for stealing the lives of your loved ones. I cannot express how much I regret all the decisions I made leading up to my actions on May 14,” he said. “I did a terrible thing that day. I shot and killed people because they were Black. Looking back now, I can’t believe I actually did it. I believed what I read online and acted out of hate. I know I can’t take it back, but I wish I could, and I don’t want anyone to be inspired by me and what I did.”
