Federal hate crime fees announced against man accused of plotting racist capturing in Georgia

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

19 Might 2022, 13:58

• 3 min learn

Hate crime charges have been announced towards a man accused of planning to fatally shoot customers and staff of two Jonesboro, Georgia, comfort stores.

Larry Edward Foxworth allegedly fired a gun repeatedly into two comfort stores at 2:30 a.m. on July 30, 2021. Each stores have been open for enterprise.

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 contained in the stores.

“No particular person needs to be afraid to shop or go to work in our neighborhood. Nor ought to folks have to fret that they may be violently attacked because of the colour of their pores and skin,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Okay. Buchanan said in a press release.

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 is being charged underneath the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act, which makes it a federal crime to willfully trigger bodily harm, or try to do so using a harmful weapon due to the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, faith or national origin.

Clayton County is a predominantly Black community, making up 72.8% of the population, in accordance with the U.S. Census Bureau.

The fees towards Foxworth come in the wake of the mass taking pictures at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket.

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 stated. “Thankfully no one was injured by the conduct alleged in this case, however the Justice Department is committed to utilizing all the tools in our law enforcement arsenal to prosecute allegations of hate crimes.”

U.S. Assistant Lawyer General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke speaks throughout a information conference at the Division of Justice, Aug. 5, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

This is the primary time in about eight years that hate crime prices have been filed within the Northern District of Georgia, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Workplace informed ABC Information.

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.