NAACP presses for action as violent white supremacist sentenced in Buffalo

The NAACP is calling for more to be done to stop the spread of white supremacist violence after Payton Gendron — the 19-year-old who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket last May — was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday. 

“The sad reality is that the Black community lives under the constant threat of violence,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the organization, said in a statement after Gendron’s sentencing. 

“Every time we visit our churches, the grocery store, we are forced to consider the fact that we may never return home,” the statement reads. “While we understand that the pain of losing a loved one, especially under these horrific circumstances, will never truly be healed, it is our hope that these families can find some comfort in the fact that this white supremacist will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”

Gendron opened fire at the Tops Friendly Markets wearing body armor on May 14, 2022. Wielding a legally obtained semi-automatic rifle, he livestreamed his attack with a helmet camera on the gaming platform Twitch, as he shot and killed 10 people and wounded three others. 

Investigations after the attack found that Gendron specifically chose the market because it was in a predominantly Black neighborhood. In a manifesto, Gendron explained he was motivated by the racist “great replacement” theory, which falsely claims increased racial diversity will lead to the end of the white race in the U.S.

At his sentencing on Wednesday, Gendron apologized for his actions. 

“I’m very sorry for all the pain I forced the victims and their families to suffer through. I’m very sorry for stealing the lives of your loved ones,” Gendron said. “I cannot express how much I regret all the decisions I made leading up to my actions on May 14.”

“I did a terrible thing that day. I shot and killed people because they were Black. Looking back now, I can’t believe I actually did it,” he added. “I believed what I read online and acted out of hate. I know I can’t take it back, but I wish I could, and I don’t want anyone to be inspired by me and what I did.”

Gendron pleaded guilty to charges of murder, murder as a hate crime and hate-motivated domestic terrorism in November. 

“Let me be clear — there is no place for hate in a democracy,” Johnson said on Wednesday.

Johnson specifically called out Fox News, where hosts like Tucker Carlson have perpetuated the great replacement theory. 

“Everyone, including Fox News, Twitter, and all other media giants, has a responsibility to stop the spread of misinformation that directly contributes to the proliferation of racist conspiracy theories that motivate domestic terrorists such as this one,” Johnson said.

“And when these corporations fall short on their responsibilities, it is up to our federal law enforcement officials to hold them accountable for their role in the tragedies that occur as a result,” he added. “The NAACP will continue to fight back against white supremacy and advocate for the policies necessary to dispel the spread of hate and extremist agendas in order to ensure our communities are protected.”