Video captured the moment a man lunged at the convicted mass murderer in the racist Buffalo grocery store attack as a family member of one of his victims gave an emotional speech in court.
10 people were killed and three others were injured in the mass shooting on May 14 at a Topps grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Police arrested 18-year-old Payton Gendron of Conklin at the scene.
Family members of the victims were allowed to address Gendron during Wednesday at a hearing for his sentencing. Barbara Mapps, the sister of victim Katherine Massey, was giving a very passionate statement when the man suddenly ran toward the murderer.
“My sister Kat was a great person! Kat didn’t hurt anybody!” she yelled at Gendron.
“You don’t know a damn thing about black people!” she continued. “We’re human! We like our kids to go to good schools! We love our kids!”
At that point, a black man standing next to her lunged at the attacker. The man was subdued by police as Gendron was ushered quickly out of the courtroom. The proceedings continued ten minutes later.
Prosecutors say Gendron drove more than 200 miles from Conklin to Buffalo specifically to target a black community. He admitted that he had targeted black people in a statement to the court where he apologized to his victims.
“I’m very sorry for the pain I forced the victims and their families to suffer though. I’m very sorry for stealing the lives of your loved ones. I cannot express how much I regret all the decisions I made leading up my actions on May 14th,” Gendron said tearfully.
“I did a terrible thing that day. I shot and killed people because they were black,” he added. “Looking back now, I can’t believe I actually did it,”I believed what I read online and acted out of hate. And now I can’t take it back but I wish I could. And I don’t want anybody to be inspired by me and what I did.”
Payton Gendron received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, the maximum penalty for his crimes.
“There is no place for you or your ignorant hateful and evil ideologies in this civilized society. There can be no mercy for you, no understanding, no second chances,” said the judge to Gendron.
“You’ll never see the light of day as a free man ever again,” she added.
Here’s the video of the man lunging at Gendron.
Man lunges at Buffalo supermarket gunman before he gets life sentencewww.youtube.com
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