Federal hate crime expenses announced 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 read

Hate crime charges have been announced against a person accused of planning to fatally shoot prospects and workers of two Jonesboro, Georgia, comfort 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 because of the perceived race, shade or nationwide origin of the people contained in the shops.

“No particular person should be afraid to buy or go to work in our group. Nor ought to individuals have to fret that they may be violently attacked due to the colour of their skin,” U.S. Lawyer Ryan Okay. Buchanan said 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 but 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 trigger bodily injury, or attempt to do so utilizing a dangerous weapon due to the victim’s precise or perceived race, color, faith or nationwide origin.

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

The costs towards Foxworth come in the wake of the mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket.

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 Lawyer Normal Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “Fortunately nobody was injured by the conduct alleged in this case, however the Justice Department is committed to utilizing all of the tools in our law enforcement arsenal to prosecute allegations of hate crimes.”

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

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

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.