Buffalo gunman receives life in prison for racially motivated mass shooting

Payton Gendron killed 10 black people at a Tops Friendly Market in New York last year

Payton Gendron has pleaded guilty to murder and hate-motivated terrorism charges. AP

The charges carry an automatic sentence of life in prison. AP

Gendron, 19, live-streamed the shooting on social media. Reuters

US Attorney General Merrick Garland places flowers at a memorial for the shooting victims earlier this year. AP

Mr Garland was in Buffalo to announce federal hate crime charges against Gendron. AP

Matt Swerdlin kneels with his children during a June March For Our Lives event in Buffalo. Getty Images / AFP

Gun reform advocates in hundreds of communities across the US took to the streets following shootings earlier this year in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. Getty Images / AFP

The nationwide marches were organised by the group founded by survivors of the 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Getty Images / AFP

Marchers pause at a memorial for the Tops grocery store mass shooting. Getty Images / AFP

US President Joe Biden has called for a total ban on AR-15-style assault weapons. Getty Images / AFP

Attorney Benjamin Crump, accompanied by the family of Ruth Whitfield, a victim of shooting at a supermarket, speaks to the media during a news conference in Buffalo, New York. AP

Vintage Firearms, the gun shop where Buffalo supermarket shooting suspect Payton Gendron legally purchased his weapon, in Endicott, New York. Reuters

Vintage Firearms in Endicott, New York. Reuters

A member of the FBI looks at bullet holes through the glass at the scene of a shooting at a TOPS supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Reuters

People embrace near the scene of the fatal mass shooting in Buffalo. AP

Police officers secure the scene after a shooting at TOPS supermarket in Buffalo. Reuters

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia speaks at a press conference after the shooting. AP

A woman is in shock, as police investigate the shooting. AP

A man is detained after the mass shooting. Photo: BigDawg/ via Reuters

Two people hug near the scene of the mass shooting. EPA

Payton Gendron was arraigned on first-degree murder charges and detained without bail. AP

A floral tribute and candles are laid. AP

Stephanie Morris is overcome with emotion after news of the fatal shooting spread. AP

Children walk hand in hand near the scene of the shooting. AP

People pay their respects outside the supermarket. AP

Mourners gather for a vigil for victims of the shooting. Reuters

Sharon Doyle gathers with others outside the supermarket. AP

Worshippers affected by the shooting pray at True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo. AP

People march to the scene of the shooting in Buffalo. AP

A person holds a flower as a group prays near the scene of the shooting. AP

A white supremacist received several life sentences on Wednesday for murdering 10 black people in a racist-inspired attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket last year.

Payton Gendron, now 19, was berated during a victim impact statement by Barbara Massey Mapps, sister of Katherine Massey, one of Gendron's 10 victims. Proceedings were abruptly halted when a man lunged towards Gendron, who was quickly escorted out of the courtroom.

“You don’t know what we’re going through,” a man shouted as Gendron was led away.

Ms Massey, 72, had been shopping at Tops Friendly Market when she was killed by Gendron on May 14, 2022. Among the other victims were a 77-year-old woman who volunteered at a local food pantry and an 86-year-old woman who had been visiting her ill husband earlier in the day.

Aaron Salter, a security guard at the store and a former Buffalo police officer, was killed when he confronted Gendron. Mr Salter fired shots at Gendron, but the bullet did not penetrate the body armour he was wearing. Gendron killed Mr Salter before continuing his rampage.

Kimberly Salter, Mr Salter's widow, wore black and red during the proceedings.

“Red for the blood that he shed for his family and for his community, and black because we are still grieving,” she said.

Gendron delivered an apology to the victims in a statement. A family member of one of the victims earlier said Gendron's apology was only an attempt to avoid the death penalty, local media reported.

In November, Gendron pleaded guilty to a domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate, 10 counts first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

He was the first person in New York to be indicted on a domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate.

A white supremacist, Gendron posted a manifesto online perpetuating racist and anti-Semitic conspiracies. An investigation found that Gendron had extensively researched the 2019 mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Gendron posted online that he had chosen to attack the supermarket in Buffalo, a 320-kilometre drive from his home in Conklin, because it was situated in a predominantly black neighbourhood.

He live-streamed the May 14 attack at Tops, in which he used a legally purchased firearm that was illegally modified to load high-capacity magazines.

Buffalo police said Gendron planned to attack another store if he escaped the scene at Tops.

The attack at Tops and the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, 10 days later spawned renewed efforts in Congress to pass the first federal gun reform bill in decades.

Mr Biden and other gun reform advocates have since called for stronger stricter federal measures including universal background checks, expansion of red flags and an assault weapons ban.