The White Gunman Who Massacred 10 Black Shoppers And Workers At A Buffalo

The white gunman who massacred 10 black shoppers and workers at a Buffalo supermarket pleaded guilty  to murder and hate-motivated terrorism charges Monday and guaranteed he would spend the rest of his life in prison. 

19-year-old Payton Gendron pleaded guilty Monday in a courthouse about two miles from the grocery store, where he used a semi-automatic rifle and body armor to carry out a racist attack that he hoped would help turn white power into U.S 

Gendron, who was handcuffed and wearing an orange  jumpsuit, occasionally licked and pursed his lips as he pleaded guilty to all of the most serious counts in the grand jury's indictment, including murder, murder as a hate crime, and through Hate-motivated domestic terrorism, which carries an automatic sentence of life imprisonment without parole. 

He replied "yes" and "guilty" when Judge Susan Eagan named each victim  and asked if he killed them because of their race. Gendron also pleaded guilty to injuring three people who survived the May 1 attack. 

Many of the families of these victims sat and watched, some wiping their eyes and sobbing. Speaking to reporters later, several said the request left them cold. It didn't address the larger issue they said was racism in America. 

Her voice made me feel guilty, but she showed me she was right," said Zeneta Everhart, whose 20-year-old son was shot in the neck but survived. "This country has a problem.

This country is inherently violent. It's racist. And his voice showed me. After the approximately 45-minute trial was over, Gendron's lawyers indicated that he now regrets his crimes, but did not elaborate or answer questions. 

This crucial step represents a condemnation of the racist ideology that fueled his horrific acts on May 14," said Gendron's attorney, Brian Parker.

"We hope that a final resolution of the state's charges will help maintain the focus on the needs of  victims and the community. Gendron has pleaded not guilty to  federal hate crime charges that could result in a death sentence if convicted. The US Department of Justice has not said whether it seeks the death penalty. 

The guilty plea and a statement of remorse could  help Gendron in a penalty phase of a death penalty trial.

The request comes at a time when many Americans are almost desensitized to mass shootings. In recent weeks there have been deadly attacks on a Walmart in Virginia,  a gay club in Colorado and  the University of Virginia. 

Just days after Gendron's shooting in Buffalo, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a school in Uvalde, Texas. , ranging in  age from 32 to 86, including a gunman who was killed trying to protect customers, a church deacon and the mother of a former Buffalo fire commissioner.

Gendron surrendered when confronted by police  as he was leaving the store. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who was in the courtroom for Gendron's guilty plea, told reporters afterwards, "It was important to know why these precious lives were being taken from us for no reason other  than the color of their lives, which the mayor, a Democrat, was." , called for a ban on assault weapons, as did Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. 

Victims' families reiterated their calls for Congress and the FBI to deal with white supremacy and violence in. "We are literally begging  those in power to do something about it do,” said Garnell Whitfield, whose 86-year-old mother, Ruth Whitfield, was murdered.

White supremacy was Gendron's motive. He said in documents posted online shortly before the attack that he chose the store, about a three-hour drive from his home in Conklin, New York, because it was in a predominantly black neighborhood.

He said he was motivated by  belief in a massive conspiracy to dilute white power by "replacing" them with people of color in the US. "Quick justice," is how Erie County District Attorney John Flynn described Monday's finding. Of note is 

, which marks the first time anyone  has been convicted of a hate-motivated terrorism charge in New York State.

Her sentencing is scheduled for February 15. Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing several of the victims' families, said they remain baffled that the shooter survived. They want harsh punishment, he said, We want him to be treated like the vicious, cold-blooded, heinous murderer  he hired for killing all these innocent black people. It's emotional and we're angry.

Mark Talley, the son of murdered Geraldine Talley, has asked authorities to have him jailed in Erie County,  the same community where he has caused so much pain, so that he may experience the same horrors his victims endure. 

I want that pain to eat away at him every second of every day for the rest of his life," Talley said. Talley and Everhart said they were offended by Gendron's tone and clean demeanor in court. They said that a black defendant in would have been treated differently. Gendron is a "thug," they said.

"We show them in a way that doesn't make them threatening, and it's gross," Everhart said. "Am I glad he's going to prison for life?" Tally said. "What would make me happy is if America recognizes its history of racism."