Payton Gendron, the white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, last May, was sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.
Anger briefly turned physical at the sentencing when a victim's family member rushed at Gendron from the audience. The man was quickly restrained; prosecutors later said he wouldn't be charged.
Gendron, whose hatred was fueled by racist conspiracy theories he encountered online, cried during some of the testimony and apologized to victims and their families in a brief statement.
Gendron pleaded guilty in November to crimes including murder and domestic terrorism motivated by hate, a charge that carried an automatic life sentence.
The 19-year-old is due in a federal court Thursday for a status update in a separate case that could carry a death sentence if prosecutors seek it. His attorney said in December that Gendron is prepared to plead guilty in federal court to avoid execution. New York state does not have the death penalty.
Prior to the shooting, Gendron uploaded a manifesto to the internet, warning of “white genocide”, citing low birthrates among people of European heritage across the globe, and higher birthrates among non-white populations.
A document posted online by the suspect detailed his initial plans weeks before the shooting.
According to the document, obtained by the Washington Post, Gendron refers to the local Tops supermarket as “attack area 1,” also noting two other areas in the city where he can “shoot all blacks.”