Payton Gendron, who fatally shot ten people in Buffalo, New York, was “inspired” by Daniel Harris. The British adolescent was also believed to have influenced Anderson Lee Aldrich, the sole suspect in a Colorado gay bar shooting in which five people were slain.
A British juvenile extremist was imprisoned after his far-right videos were linked to two horrific shootings in the United States.
Daniel Harris used the online video sharing site World Truth Videos to spread his aggressive racial beliefs, a court heard.
After a trial at Manchester Crown Court, the 19-year-old from Glossop, Derbyshire was found guilty of five counts of promoting terrorism and one count of possessing a 3D printer for terrorist purposes.
He was given a sentence of 11.5 years in prison and 3 years on probation.
US mass murderer Payton Gendron was “encouraged and partially driven” by Harris, according to prosecutors.
In May 2022, Gendron killed ten black people in a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, while live streaming the incident. Harris prepared a video praising the death spree within hours.
Two months before the deadly shooting, Gendron, 19, said on one of Harris’s videos, “You are not alone my friend:”
Brenton Tarrant, who live-streamed the 2019 New Zealand mosque shootings, teaches in the film.
Gendron also borrowed an image from one of Harris’s other videos as the primary picture for his “manifesto.”
Prosecutor Joe Allman stated that Harris’s writing “motivated” Gendron.
The court was informed that the British youth also inspired Anderson Lee Aldrich, the sole suspect in a shooting at a gay bar in Colorado.
Aldrich, 22, allegedly killed five people in an indiscriminate attack with weapons in Colorado Springs in November. While Harris was on trial in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Allman indicated that Aldrich “accessed material” generated by Harris.
The prosecutor told the court that one of Harris’s videos was placed on a website with connections to what looked to be a live stream of Aldrich planning the attacks.
Mr. Allman stated, “The Crown claims it proves that individuals of the utmost concern have accessed Mr. Harris’s files.”
In court, Harris was described as “an influential online propagandist for a violent and profoundly racist worldview.”
Mr. Allman said Harris’ films glorified mass murder and were a call to arms for Harris’ followers.
The court heard that under the alias “BookAnon,” Harris’s films “encouraged and instructed the commission of terrorist actions against persons regarded not to be of the white European race.”
One video demonstrated how to create an assault rifle using a 3D printer, and when authorities raided Harris’s grandfather’s home. They discovered that he had already begun fabricating the parts.
“Toxic rhetoric with unfathomable impact”
After the adolescent’s conviction, Detective Inspector Chris Brett stated that steps were made to prevent Harris from becoming a terrorist through the Prevent program.
“It became immediately apparent that he was professing to be deradicalized while promoting terrorism online,” Mr. Brett said.
The threat he posed compelled us to take action to guarantee the safety of the general public.
Mr. Brett stated that Harris “clearly shown contempt for law enforcement and public order. Also enthusiasm for those who had perpetrated atrocities in international terrorist assaults.”
“By releasing these recordings online, Harris’ poisonous rhetoric might have had an unfathomable impact on countless individuals throughout the globe – such activities will not be condoned,” added the senior officer.
During a search, he said, authorities uncovered “the rather terrifying discovery of attempts to build handgun components on his 3D printer,” which “demonstrated a clear intent to create a lethal weapon.”
