Payton S. Gendron, the suspect in the Buffalo mass shooting, has apparently been identified and charged with first-degree murder. On Saturday, May 14, at about 2.30 p.m., the suspect allegedly went on a spree at Tops Friendly Market, 1275 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. The adolescent shot 13 individuals and broadcasted the incident on social media. Ten individuals were killed and three were injured in the incident. The assault claimed the lives of 11 African-Americans and two white people.
In an official statement, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said that the assault was “pure evil” and “racially motivated”:
“Straight up racially motivated hate crime from someone outside of our community — outside of the City of Good Neighbors, as the mayor put it — coming into our town and attempting to inflict evil on us.”
According to The Guardian, local police commissioner Joseph Gramaglia pulled over at the Buffalo Tops Friendly Market and began firing while live-streaming the incident on Twitch through a camera mounted on his helmet:
“He got out of his car. He had a lot of weapons. He was outfitted with tactical equipment. He was wearing a tactical helmet. He was using a camera to livestream what he was doing.”
payton gendron’s mother pamela posted a video from christmas 2019. a firearm box, presumably a gift, is plainly visible. payton, the oldest child in the family, was 16 years old (b. june 20 2003) pic.twitter.com/wG3AcrYSsf
— — (@yourgirlavie) May 14, 2022
Officer Gramaglia went on to say that Gendron shot four persons outside the store, three of whom died instantly. From inside the business, a former Buffalo police officer working as a security guard fired rounds at the shooter. The guard also managed to attack him, but his bulletproof vest protected him. Soon after, Gendron murdered the security guard before killing others, including four shop workers. After Buffalo Police came, the man allegedly tried to shoot himself but finally surrendered.
Everything you need to know about Payton S. Gendron
Payton S. Gendron, an 18-year-old Caucasian guy, is accused of shooting and killing ten people on Saturday at a Buffalo supermarket. He is from Conklin, New York, which is near Binghamton in Broome County, and he allegedly went three hours to carry out the horrific shooting at Tops Friendly Market. During the gunfight, the adolescent was allegedly wearing military fatigues, body armor, and tactical gear, as well as a recording device to video the action. According to the Associated Press, Gendron’s parents are assisting with the inquiry.
According to Gendron’s neighbors, the adolescent attended Broome Community-Academic, which is part of the State University of New York college system. Susquehanna Valley High School administrators phoned Broome County criminal enforcement officers in June 2021 to report that Gendron had reportedly threatened to orchestrate a shooting during a graduation celebration. However, no charges were brought against the suspect, and after the inquiry, he simply got a mental health examination and treatment. According to authorities, Gendron has previously espoused racially motivated violent sentiments online.
He reportedly prepared and distributed a 180-page paper with “hateful” material on “replacement theory,” a white supremacist view that non-whites would ultimately replace Caucasians around the globe due to greater birth rates. In his essay, the suspect reportedly allegedly established a plan for the Buffalo assault, including time and location, and claimed that he chose the spot because of the large number of African-Americans there.
In some of his online remarks, Gendron has also lauded previous racially motivated mass shooters, including South Carolina church shooter Dylann Roof, New Zealand mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant, and Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue gunman Robert Gregory Bowers. Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul informed WABC that Gendron lawfully acquired the AR-15 assault-style weapon used in the supermarket massacre in a Broome gun shop. Gendron’s “lawfully procured firearm” was then changed to “illegal,” according to the governor.
Payton S. Gendron Charges
Following the Buffalo shooting incident, Payton S. Gendron was charged in Buffalo City Court with one count of first-degree murder, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s office. However, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn warned that the suspect might face further charges in the future:
“My office is working closely with the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement colleagues to investigate possible terrorist and hate crimes.” This is an ongoing investigation, and further charges may be made.”
In an official statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the US Department of Justice is investigating the incident as a “hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism”:
“The Justice Department is dedicated to conducting an exhaustive and timely investigation into this killing and pursuing justice for these innocent individuals.”
Following his arraignment, Gendron allegedly pleaded not guilty to the allegations. He is now being held without bail. Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said Gendron was also on suicide watch, with officers watching him as he placed a revolver under his chin.
