A man attacked Payton Gendron during victim impact statements at Buffalo, N.Y. mass shooter Payton Gendron was being sentenced in court. This caused chaos in the courtroom.
“While Katherine Massey’s older sister Barbara was talking, a man ran behind her and attacked Gendron. Massey was making an emotional statement and shouting at Gendron, using explicit language, while speaking about her sister, who was among the 10 victims of the shooting at Tops on Jefferson Avenue on April 14. “WiVB Buffalo reports. “Barbara Massey, the 6th of 17 persons expected to speak at Wednesday’s hearing,”
The report said that Gendron was seen sobbing shortly before the impact statements. “The man didn’t make it to Gendron, and was stopped by many officers before he could reach him.” Gendron was immediately removed and Judge Susan Eagan left the courtroom.
#BREAKING: A man charged at the Buffalo mass shooter during his sentencing and was stopped by officers and ushered out of the courtroom. The incident happened while Barbara Massey, the sister of shooting victim Kat Massey, was speaking. Live coverage: https://t.co/QlrGwOsS1c pic.twitter.com/kAkZUaBr6o
— News 4 Buffalo (@news4buffalo) February 15, 2023
Judge Eagan stated that he understood the emotion and that anger but that we could not have it in the courtroom. The proceedings were resumed ten minutes later. “I’m willing to allow anyone who needs it to speak. I also know that some of your comments about the defendant need to be addressed, but we must behave appropriately because we all are better than that.”
Gendron’s crime was committed at Tops supermarket in Buffalo, which is a predominantly black area. All of his victims were also black. Gendron posted a 180-page manifesto online that explained why he did what he did. Gendron, who was linked to right-wing extremism by the mainstream media, described himself as a former communist and now falls under the “mildly moderate authoritarian left” category.
“I prefer to be called a populist. You can call me an ethnonationalism ecofascist national socialist if you like, but I don’t think you should.” He also rejected the conservative label, saying that “conservativism disguises corporatism, and I don’t want any part of it.”
Gendron was sentenced after pleading guilty to the charge of causing death.
