Federal prosecutors announced on Friday that they will seek the death penalty against Payton Gendron, a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people in a racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket in 2022. Gendron is already serving a life sentence without parole after pleading guilty to state charges of murder and hate-motivated domestic terrorism. The Justice Department, in a court filing, stated that the circumstances of the case warranted the death penalty if Gendron is convicted. While New York does not have capital punishment, federal prosecutors have the option to seek the death penalty in a separate federal hate crimes case.

According to the notice filed by Trini Ross, the U.S. attorney for western New York, Gendron deliberately targeted the supermarket to maximize the number of Black victims. The notice also cited factors such as the extensive planning leading up to the shooting and the deliberate targeting of a vulnerable victim due to old age and infirmity. The decision to seek the death penalty has received mixed reactions from the relatives of the victims. Mark Talley, whose mother was killed in the attack, expressed that he would have preferred Gendron to spend the rest of his life in prison, suffering every day. Other family members of the victims chose not to comment.

This decision marks the first time that Attorney General Merrick Garland has authorized the pursuit of the death penalty since taking office. The Biden administration has been vocal in its opposition to capital punishment, and the Justice Department has made federal death penalty cases rare. However, in this case, the Justice Department deemed the circumstances to be exceptional enough to warrant seeking the death penalty.

The announcement of the decision came during a meeting between Justice Department officials and the families of the victims, ahead of a scheduled status hearing. The families were briefed on the decision and received the news directly from the officials. The meeting was held in Buffalo, where the mass shooting took place.

Payton Gendron, who was 18 at the time of the attack, used an illegally modified semi-automatic rifle to carry out the shooting, which he livestreamed. The victims included customers, employees, and an armed security guard, with ages ranging from 20 to 86. All of the victims who died were Black. Gendron pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including hate crimes resulting in death, and is currently serving a life sentence in state prison.

The decision to seek the death penalty in the federal case has caused a delay in the trial's start, as Justice Department officials deliberated on the matter. The federal charges against Gendron include hate crimes, use of a firearm to commit murder, and use and discharge of a firearm during a violent crime.

While New York does not have capital punishment, the federal case provides an opportunity for justice to be sought through the death penalty. The decision to pursue this penalty reflects the severity of the crime and the impact it had on the community. As this is a developing story, updates are expected to follow.