Federal hate crime fees introduced towards man accused of plotting racist shooting in Georgia

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

19 Could 2022, 13:58

• 3 min learn

Hate crime fees have been announced against a man accused of planning to fatally shoot clients and staff of two Jonesboro, Georgia, convenience shops.

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

The indictment alleges that Foxworth, who is white, was motivated to shoot into the shops due to the perceived race, shade or national origin of the people contained in the shops.

“No person must be afraid to shop or go to work in our community. Nor ought to people have to fret that they could be violently attacked because of the color of their pores and skin,” U.S. Lawyer Ryan Okay. Buchanan said in an announcement.

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 underneath the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act, which makes it a federal crime to willfully cause bodily harm, or try to take action utilizing a dangerous weapon due to the victim’s actual or perceived race, shade, faith or national origin.

Clayton County is a predominantly Black neighborhood, making up 72.8% of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The charges in opposition to Foxworth come within the wake of the mass taking pictures at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store.

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

“Hate-fueled violence has no place in a civilized society,” Assistant Lawyer Common Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated. “Fortunately nobody was injured by the conduct alleged on this case, however the Justice Division is dedicated to utilizing all of the instruments in our legislation enforcement arsenal to prosecute allegations of hate crimes.”

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

This is the first time in about eight years that hate crime prices have been filed within the Northern District of Georgia, a spokesperson for the U.S. Legal professional’s Office told ABC News.

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

ABC Information' Luke Barr contributed to this report.