A white supremacist who shot and killed 10 black people in a Buffalo, New York supermarket last year has been sentenced to life in prison in a dramatic court hearing.
Peyton Gendron, 19, pleaded guilty to 25 counts, including first-degree murder and hate terrorism.
Before the sentencing on Wednesday, a family member approached the killer and was stopped by security.
Other relatives shared emotional impact statements.
Barbara Massey, whose sister Catherine was killed, told the gunman: “You’re gonna come to our town and decide you don’t like black people. Man, you don’t know nothing about black people. Man. “
Miss Massey’s statement was interrupted by her own son lunging at the gunman. “He saw me emotional and I’m his mother,” she told reporters outside the court.
“We’re close,” he said. “You hurt one of us, you hurt all of us.”
Zaire Goodman, who was injured, suffered from survivor’s guilt, his mother told the courtroom.
“He’s dealing with pain that I can’t bear as a mother,” Zenita Everhart said.
“This terrorist made the choice that day that the cost of a black man was not worth it to him… Whatever punishment [the gunman] receives, it will never be enough.”
Brian Talley lost family member Geraldine Talley in the shooting.
He said: “I forgive you, but I don’t forgive you for your sake, but for me and this black community.”
All 10 of those killed were black. Three others were injured.
Wayne Jones, the son of one of the victims, Celestine Chaney, addressed the killer: “You’ve been brainwashed. You don’t even know black people enough to hate them. You learned it on the Internet.”
“I hope in your heart you apologize to these people, man, you did wrong for no reason.”
Killer weeps as Tamika Harper shares memories of her murdered aunt Geraldine Talley.
Ms Harper told him: “Do I hate you? No, do I want you dead? No, I want you to live. I want you to talk about it every day of your life. I think.”
Investigators said the gunman researched the racial makeup of Buffalo, which was 200 miles (320 kilometers) from his home in Conklin, New York, before his attack.
Wearing bulletproof armor, he live-streamed the May 14 attack at the Topps Friendly Market after writing online about how he had been affected by other racially motivated shootings.
But speaking to the court on Wednesday, he warned against shooting copycats.
The gunman, who is not eligible for parole, said: “I shot people dead because they were black.
“I believed what I read online and acted in disgust. I know I can’t take it back, but I wish I could, and I don’t want anyone to be influenced by me. And what did I do?”
As she delivered her verdict, Judge Susan Egan said: “There can be no mercy, no understanding, no second chance for you.”
New York state no longer allows the death penalty, but federal prosecutors could seek it on hate crime and domestic terrorism charges to which the gunman has pleaded not guilty.
