Federal hate crime fees announced towards man accused of plotting racist taking pictures in Georgia

The person allegedly shot into two grocery stores in Jonesboro, Georgia.

19 Might 2022, 13:58

• 3 min read

Hate crime charges have been introduced in opposition to a person accused of planning to fatally shoot customers and workers of two Jonesboro, Georgia, convenience stores.

Larry Edward Foxworth allegedly fired a gun repeatedly into two convenience shops at 2:30 a.m. on July 30, 2021. Both stores were open for business.

The indictment alleges that Foxworth, who's white, was motivated to shoot into the shops due to the perceived race, colour or nationwide origin of the individuals inside the shops.

“No person should be afraid to buy or go to work in our neighborhood. Nor ought to people have to worry that they could be violently attacked due to the color of their pores and skin,” U.S. Legal professional Ryan K. Buchanan mentioned in a statement.

Foxworth was charged with two counts of committing a federal hate crime and discharging a firearm to commit a violent crime. He has not yet entered a plea.

He's being charged beneath the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act, which makes it a federal crime to willfully cause bodily damage, or attempt to take action utilizing a harmful weapon because of the sufferer’s actual or perceived race, coloration, faith or nationwide origin.

Clayton County is a predominantly Black neighborhood, making up 72.8% of the inhabitants, in line with the U.S. Census Bureau.

The fees in opposition to Foxworth come in the wake of the mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store.

The 18-year-old suspect in Buffalo shot and killed 10 individuals, injuring three others, in what authorities have described as a racially motivated rampage.

“Hate-fueled violence has no place in a civilized society,” Assistant Attorney Basic Kristen Clarke of the Justice Division’s Civil Rights Division said. “Fortunately no one was injured by the conduct alleged in this case, however the Justice Division is committed to using all the instruments in our regulation enforcement arsenal to prosecute allegations of hate crimes.”

U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke speaks during a information convention on the Department of Justice, Aug. 5, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

That is the first time in about eight years that hate crime charges have been filed in the Northern District of Georgia, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office told ABC News.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clayton County Police Department.

ABC Information' Luke Barr contributed to this report.