Payton Gendron, the 18 year old accused of a racist mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, pleaded not guilty to 25 charges during his arraignment hearing in Erie County on Thursday. The charges include 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, and one count of domestic terrorism motivated by hate, which carries a sentence of life in prison without parole. According to the Erie County District Attorney, it is the first time that the domestic terrorism motivated by hate charge has been brought against a defendant in New York. Gendron appeared in the heavily-policed courtroom shackled at both his hands and feet as some family members of victims sat in the gallery. Officials say that he could face additional federal charges. He is being held in jail without bail and is due back at court on July 7.
