BUFFALO, N.Y. — The man responsible for killing 10 Black people and injuring three others on May 14, 2022, Payton Gendron, 19, pleaded guilty to 15 charges in court on Monday morning.
As Gendron faced the judge, he also faced family members of the victims as he pleaded guilty.
Afterward, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn held a press conference that lasted for more than an hour.
At his press conference, Flynn went through the timeline from May 14 and the evidence they had against the shooter, including the video he live-streamed on Twitch.
Flynn also talked about the shooter's 180-page document outlining his plans posted online right before the attack.
"This document outlined the defendant's goals behind the attack which were to kill as many African Americans as possible, avoid dying, and spread ideals. The document also detailed the defendant's hateful beliefs. Specifically his hatred for African Americans, Jewish people, immigrants, and other minorities," said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown was in the courtroom on Monday and at the press conference. He talked about what it was like listening to the timeline of what happened on May 14.
"It was very, very painful to hear. Very painful to hear where bullets went into their body and snuffed out their life. We continue to pray for the families of the victims, the families of the survivors, the workers, the shoppers at Tops, and the members of this community. I know it was very painful for family members to hear that, but as District Attorney Flynn said, it was important. It is important for this community to hear how these precious lives were snatched from us for no other reason than the color of their skin," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
The mayor went on to call for an assault weapons ban.
The defense attorneys assigned to represent Gendron spoke at the podium before the D.A. spoke and read a short statement. They said Gendron pleaded guilty knowing he is going to spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The defense attorneys did not answer any questions from the media on Monday saying they were not going to because of the ongoing federal case.