The person responsible for the mass shooting that took place at a Tops in Buffalo pleaded guilty under the state’s domestic terrorism law.
Of the 15 charges total, he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first degree murder. He also pleaded guilty to one count of a domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate. This makes him the first individual to be indicted under that law in New York.
The mass shooting he committed was racially motivated. Senator David Carlucci shared that it was sad it was the first time being used and would hopefully be the last. Carlucci sponsored the bill that was passed in 2020 and had hoped it would never need to be used. He added that he wanted to be able to give the state more ways to help deter domestic terrorism.
No other state has a law like this and the goal was to help spread a message, not to have to use it. There are no domestic terrorism classifications at the federal level, but there are enough charges for the shooter to receive the death penalty. His guilty plea at the state level will guarantee he spends the rest of his life in prison at least.
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