US teen pleads guilty to racism-driven supermarket massacre

NEW YORK: A self-declared white supremacist pleaded guilty on Monday to shooting dead 10 Black people during a racist, live-streamed, rampage at a supermarket in the US state of New York earlier this year.

Payton Gendron, 19, will spend the rest of his life in prison after admitting one state charge of domestic terrorism motivated by hate over the massacre in Buffalo in May. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said Gendron had pleaded guilty to all charges, including 10 counts of murder in the first degree and three attempted murder charges.

“While justice has been accomplished, nothing will ever bring back the 10 beautiful people who lost their lives on that day,” Flynn told reporters. “Hopefully the legal closure will provide the families and the victims some measure of relief,” he added.

Gendron had planned the attack for months, targeting Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo because of its large surrounding African-American population. He drove from his hometown of Conklin, more than 322-km away, with the intention of killing as many Black people as possible, prosecutors said.