Buffalo supermarket shooting: Accused gunman indicted on first-degree murder
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The man accused of opening fire in a Buffalo, New York, grocery store has been indicted by a grand jury on first-degree murder.
Payton Gendron, 18, appeared in court Thursday and was silent through the short proceedings, The Associated Press reported.
He remains in custody and will be back in court on June 9 to be arraigned on the indictment, The Washington Post reported.
During a previous court appearance, Gendron’s court-appointed lawyer said his client pleaded not guilty.
Gendron is accused of shooting 13 people, killing 10 of them on Saturday at Tops Friendly Market in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Buffalo.
>>Previous coverage: Buffalo supermarket shooting: What we know about the 10 victims
All but two of the victims were Black.
He live streamed the attack before he surrendered outside of the store. Just before opening fire, Gendron posted his writings detailing his plans and motive, which law enforcement says was racial, AP reported.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating it as a possible hate crime, the Post reported.
Gendron wrote that he planned the ambush after becoming infatuated with white supremacist thinking he found online.
In his writings he called himself a white supremacist, a fascist and an anti-Semite, CNN reported. He said he targeted the supermarket because it had the highest concentration of Black people in the area. He traveled three hours from his Conklin, New York, home to carry out the attack, The Washington Post reported.
He said he planned it in secret and had no help, but he did send an invitation to a small group of people to access his private writings about half an hour before he started shooting, the AP reported. Some accepted the invitation but officials are not sure how many actually read the documents and if anyone tried to alert the authorities.
People hug outside the scene after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Police respond to the scene of a shooting in the parking lot of a supermarket where several people were killed in a shooting, Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online.
Police speak to bystanders while investigating after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online.
A body lays covered in the parking lot of a supermarket where several people were killed in a shooting, Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online.
Police secure the area around a supermarket where several people were killed in a shooting, Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown speaks during a press conference after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Bystanders gather under an umbrella as rain rolls in after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online.
Buffalo mayor Byron Brown takes a call after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online.
A bystander watches as police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown takes a moment of silence and prayer following a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia speaks at a press conference after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Buffalo Police respond to a shooting at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, N.Y., Saturday, May 14, 2022.
Police secure a perimeter after a shooting at a supermarket, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y.
A crowd gathers as police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. Multiple people were shot at the Tops Friendly Market. Police have notified the public that the alleged shooter was in custody. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
Police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
A crowd gathers as police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. Multiple people were shot at the Tops Friendly Market. Police have notified the public that the alleged shooter was in custody. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
People gather outside a supermarket where several people were killed in a shooting, Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News via AP)
A crowd gathers as police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. Multiple people were shot at the Tops Friendly Market. Police have notified the public that the alleged shooter was in custody. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
Police secure an area around a supermarket where several people were killed in a shooting, Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News via AP)
Police vehicles block off the street where at least 10 people were killed in a shooting at a supermarket, Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Buffalo, N.Y. Officials said the gunman entered the supermarket with a rifle and opened fire. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News via AP)
