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Buffalo massacre suspect indicted, will return to court next month

 18-year-old Payton S. Gendron is the accused gunman in the Buffalo mass shooting.
Erie County District Attorney
18-year-old Payton S. Gendron is the accused gunman in the Buffalo mass shooting.

A felony hearing for the accused gunman in the racially motivated Tops Market massacre was held Thursday morning in Buffalo City Court but was quickly adjourned after it was revealed a grand jury had already handed up an indictment.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn made the revelation and Judge Craig Hannah quickly adjourned the proceeding.

18-year-old Payton Gendron will be back in court June 9 for his new first-degree murder charge, which covers all 10 fatalities from Saturday's mass shooting at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue. In New York, this charge carries a maximum life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Gendron remains held without bail.

Many of the victims’ family members were present for the proceedings.

In a written statement on Thursday’s developments, Flynn indicated he will not comment until there’s a report following an investigation by the grand jury.

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Authorities have previously said they are investigating potential hate crime, terrorism, and racially motivated violent extremism charges.

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Emyle Watkins
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thomas moved to Western New York at the age of 14. A graduate of Buffalo State College, he majored in Communications Studies and was part of the sports staff for WBNY. When not following his beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats and Boston Red Sox, Thomas enjoys coaching youth basketball, reading Tolkien novels and seeing live music.
Tom Dinki joined WBFO in August 2019 to cover issues affecting older adults.