The gunman behind the devastating Buffalo mass shooting was sentenced to life in prison, shortly after a family member of a victim rushed at him during the hearing.
Payton Gendron, 20, appeared in front of Judge Susan Eagan in Erie County Court on Wednesday, where he received a life sentence without parole for the domestic terrorism charge and all 10 first-degree murder charges for the May 2022 attack at a Buffalo, NY supermarket, WGRZ
tom-banner ampforwp-incontent-ad1">Gendron, a white male, live-streamed his attack at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo. In disturbing video clips that surfaced online at the time, Gendron could be seen targeting only Black shoppers. He pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022, to 15 state charges.
Family members of the victims were able to confront Gendron during the hearing with victim impact statements.
“You thought you broke us, but you awoke us. Despite our battle scars, you will not win the war. You are a cowardly racist,” a woman representing the grandchildren of Buffalo mass shooting victim Ruth Whitfield told Gendron.
Elsewhere, a man had to be escorted out of the courtroom after he lunged at Gendron during the emotional statement by Barbara Massey, the sister of Katherine Massey, Fox News reported.
“You don’t know what we’re going through,” the man reportedly shouted in the courtroom as he was led away by officers.
Gendron made a brief statement in court where he apologized to the families of the victims and expressed his regret for his racist mass shooting attack.
“I did a terrible thing that day,” he said prior to being sentenced. “I shot and killed people because they were Black.”
“Looking back now, I can’t believe I actually did it,” he continued. “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.”