Justice Department Officials Visit Memorial, Announce Accused Tops Shooter Charged with Federal Hate Crimes and Using a Firearm to Commit Murder

Payton Gendron, 18, of Conklin, New York, was charged by criminal complaint with hate crimes resulting in death and hate crimes involving bodily injury and attempt to kill, use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence, and use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The announcement was made by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York, and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate.