Buffalo mass shooter to appear in court on federal hate crimes case

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The man responsible for the racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo is due back in federal court Tuesday morning.

Federal prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty against Payton Gendron, the white supremacist who killed 10 Black people in the May 14, 2022, mass shooting.

Gendron is already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to state charges. Although New York State does not have the death penalty, the Justice Department has the option to seek it in a separate federal hate crime case.

Gendron’s appearance comes after the court granted the U.S. government an extension to file its affidavits. The federal trial is expected to begin in September 2025.

His appearance also comes after the dedication of a new memorial in Tops to honor the victims two years after the mass shooting. Hundreds of people came to the “5/14 Honor Space” unveiling ceremony.

According to an article posted online by Payton Gendron, he also planned to target the Rochester Tops on West Avenue, also in a majority black community.