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Payton Gendron, the shooter who killed 10 Black people at Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York last year, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, per CBS News.
"There can be no mercy for you, no understanding, no second chances," Judge Susan Eagan said as she delivered the sentence during a court hearing on Wednesday (February 15). "The damage you have caused is too great and the people you have hurt are too valuable to this community. You will never see the light of day as a free man ever again."
Gendron, an alleged white supremacist, opened fire at Tops supermarket on May 14, 2022, intentionally targeting the Buffalo grocers "because of the perceived race and/or color of such person or persons," a grand jury previously stated. He live-streamed the mass shooting using a camera strapped to a helmet on his head.
In a series of online posts, Gendron detailed his plans for the attack against the Tops supermarket located in a predominately Black neighborhood, citing the preservation of white power.
On Wednesday, Gendron appeared in court and received the expected life sentence after pleading guilty in November to all state charges brought against him, which included first-degree murder and domestic terrorism motivated by hate.
Wednesday's court hearing got heated as many family members delivered victim impact statements before Gendron and the judge.
"Kat was intelligent," said Barbara Massey, the sister of Katherine Massey, a victim of the attack. "She was a teacher. She was my best friend. She was anything at any given time. Cat was a protector."
"You are going to come to our city and decide you don't like Black people," she continued. "Man, you don't know a d**n thing about Black people. We're human."
At the end of her statement, a man rose from his seat and lunged at Gendron, who was temporarily taken outside by law enforcement officials. Shouting filled the courtroom before Gendron was brought back in and proceedings continued.
"I did a terrible thing that day," a statement from Gendron reads. "I know I can't take it back, but I wish I could, and I don't want anyone to be inspired by me or what I did."
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