Federal hate crime charges introduced 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 read

Hate crime prices have been announced towards a man accused of planning to fatally shoot prospects and workers of two Jonesboro, Georgia, comfort stores.

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

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

“No person needs to be afraid to buy or go to work in our neighborhood. Nor ought to individuals have to worry that they may be violently attacked because of the color of their skin,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Okay. Buchanan stated 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 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 damage, or attempt to take action using a harmful weapon because of the victim’s precise or perceived race, coloration, religion or nationwide origin.

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

The charges against Foxworth come within the wake of the mass capturing at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket.

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 Legal professional General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “Fortunately nobody was injured by the conduct alleged in this case, but the Justice Division 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 convention on the Department of Justice, Aug. 5, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

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

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

ABC News' Luke Barr contributed to this report.