On Saturday, a gunman wearing military gear, body armor, and livestreaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. The FBI called the killing of 10 people and wounding 13 others, “racially motived violent extremism.”
The gunman, identified as Payton Gendron, 18, of Conklin, who police say drove several hours to the grocery store on shot four people in the parking lot of a Tops Friendly Market around 2:30 p.m., three fatally. Gendron proceeded inside the store where he was confronted by a retired Buffalo police officer working security, police said.
The retired Buffalo police officer fired multiple shots at the gunman and struck him, but the bullet hit the gunman’s bulletproof vest and had no effect police said. The gunman then killed the security guard.
The gunman then shot nine more people inside the store, police said. He threatened to shoot himself before dropping his gun and surrendering to police, authorities said.
A total of 13 people were shot, he said. Four of those were store employees, including a security guard. Among the 13 victims shot, 11 were African American and two were white, authorities said.
Three victims suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
“This is the worst nightmare any community can face,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said at the briefing.
According to CNN, Gendron had been arraigned in Buffalo City Court Chief Judge Craig Hannah’s courtroom.
“Justice is already being done, immediately,” Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said at a news conference Saturday night.
“This individual has been arraigned on murder in the first degree, which is the highest charge, the highest murder charge in New York state. It carries with it a sentence of life without parole, the highest punishment we have a New York state. He was remanded. The judge ordered forensic examination. A felony hearing will now take place in five days. And then the investigation continues.”
According to a local ABC news affiliate, the suspect’s public defender has entered a not guilty plea. Gendron is due back in court on May 19 for a felony hearing.