Payton Gendron, a white supremacist who murdered ten Black people in a Buffalo supermarket was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release on Wednesday after hearing family of his victims voice their grief and rage at his racist crime.
Payton Gendron’s sentencing hearing was momentarily disturbed when he was charged by a guy in the audience who was swiftly subdued. After about ten minutes, it resumed with more sad testimony from people who had lost loved ones in the attack.
Peyton Gendron, whose animosity was driven by racist conspiracy theories he discovered online, cried during some of the hearing and issued a brief apology to victims. The judge sentenced him to life in prison, one for each victim without the possibility of release. She also denied giving Gendron youthful offender status, which would have allowed him to reintegrate into society.
“There was nothing hasty or thoughtless about your conduct. There are no mitigating factors to be considered,” Judge Susan Eagan said.
According to NBC, Gendron pleaded guilty in November to crimes including murder and domestic terrorism motivated by hate, a charge that carried an automatic life sentence.
19 year old Gendron, wore bullet-resistant armor and a helmet equipped with a livestreaming camera as he carried out the May 14 attack with a semiautomatic rifle he purchased legally but then modified so he could load it with illegal high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Payton Gendron also faces separate federal charges that could carry a death sentence if the U.S. Justice Department chooses to seek it. His defense attorney said in December that Gendron is prepared to plead guilty in federal court as well to avoid execution.
