Federal hate crime expenses announced against man accused of plotting racist taking pictures in Georgia

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

19 May 2022, 13:58

• 3 min read

Hate crime fees have been announced against a man accused of planning to fatally shoot clients and staff 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. Both shops have been open for enterprise.

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

“No particular person must be afraid to buy or go to work in our neighborhood. Nor should folks have to fret that they might be violently attacked due to the colour of their skin,” U.S. Legal professional 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 but entered a plea.

He's being charged under the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act, which makes it a federal crime to willfully trigger bodily harm, or attempt to take action using a harmful weapon due to the victim’s actual or perceived race, shade, faith or nationwide origin.

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

The fees in opposition to Foxworth come in the wake of the mass shooting 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 Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division mentioned. “Thankfully nobody was injured by the conduct alleged on this case, however the Justice Division is dedicated to utilizing all 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 information convention at 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 within the Northern District of Georgia, a spokesperson for the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace told ABC Information.

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

ABC News' Luke Barr contributed to this report.