Federal hate crime charges introduced towards man accused of plotting racist capturing in Georgia

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

19 Could 2022, 13:58

• 3 min read

Hate crime fees have been announced against a person accused of planning to fatally shoot prospects and staff of two Jonesboro, Georgia, comfort shops.

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

The indictment alleges that Foxworth, who is white, was motivated to shoot into the shops because of the perceived race, color or nationwide origin of the individuals inside the stores.

“No individual ought to be afraid to shop or go to work in our neighborhood. Nor ought to folks have to fret that they could be violently attacked because of 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 is being charged under 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 sufferer’s actual or perceived race, coloration, religion or national origin.

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

The charges against Foxworth come in the wake of the mass capturing at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store.

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

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

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

This is the primary time in about eight years that hate crime fees have been filed within the Northern District of Georgia, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office advised 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.