Photo: Moment RF
A North Carolina man is facing federal charges after allegedly threatening to carry out a racially motivated mass shooting at a Black preschool.
Zachary Charles Newell, 25, was arrested on Monday (September 8) and charged with one count of making an interstate threat to kidnap or injure in connection with an online threat against Black pre-schoolers made on YouTube, per The Independent.
The case opened Sunday (September 7) after Google’s cybercrime team alerted federal authorities about a disturbing YouTube comment posted by a user named “CommentatorsHateMe.” The comment read: “I’m gonna shoot up a black pre-school. 20 black babies will be shot and then skinned like the animals they are.”
The comment was left under a video by Florida-based YouTuber and attorney Andrew d’Adesky, who had been discussing an incident involving Raja Jackson, a Black MMA fighter and son of UFC legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who had seriously injured a white pro wrestler during a match.
The same account had posted another message a day earlier under a separate YouTube video.
“You’re an incel p***y. A literal [N-word] hiding in Germany. Wait until they gut you like the animal you are. The amount of pain and suffering black people are about to suffer makes me so happy," the comment read.
The FBI traced the account back to Newell using information provided by Google, including an email address, recovery data, phone number, and IP address. When sheriff’s deputies visited the home and questioned Newell about the threats, he admitted to posting the YouTube comments, according to the affidavit.
Newell is scheduled to appear in federal court in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Wednesday (September 10). If convicted, Newell faces up to five years behind bars.
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