25 guns seized from teen who threatened to open fire in a gay bar
Justin Olsen has been indicted on federal charges
An Ohio teen who threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a gay bar has been indicted on federal charges, after police seized 25 weapons from his home.
Justin Olsen, 18, was arrested on August 12 after making violent threats on the website iFunny under internet username “ArmyOfChrist.”
Teen threatened Planned Parenthood, federal agents, gay bar in internet posts
Olsen, who raged against liberals, minorities and LGBT+ people in his posts, wrote in one message: “Me thanking God that they put the gay bar and Planned Parenthood right next to each other.”
In other posts he made references to “stockpiling weapons” when he turned 18, shared photos of AR-15 style rifles, and wrote: “Shoot every federal agent on sight.”
When agents raided the Olsen family home in Boardman, Ohio, they seized 15 rifles, ten semi-automatic pistols, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, a machete, and camouflage clothing.
Ohio teen Justin Olsen posted violent threats online
The teen told officers that his posts were “hyperbolic” and “a joke.”
But on Wednesday, Olsen was indicted on one count of making threats against federal law enforcement and one count of making interstate threats.
Report online ‘threats of physical harm’, FBI say
FBI agent in charge Eric B. Smith said: “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to assess and disrupt threats of physical harm to any citizen.
“Law enforcement encourages the public to report suspicious online or in person behaviour – see something, say something.”
Boardman police chief Todd Werth said: “This case is a good example of how local and federal law enforcement work together to address threats to the safety of our community.
“The federal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this matter highlights the serious nature of his actions.”
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said: “Every law enforcement officer takes an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United Staes.
“Anyone who threatens those same law enforcement agents is committing a crime, not engaging in some form of protected speech.
“When those threats are made, especially where someone possesses the means to act on those threats, we take it seriously and will seek criminal charges.”
The case comes after 23-year-old Conor Climo, from Las Vegas, was arrested over alleged plans to attack a gay bar in the city.
The 2016 mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub remains the deadliest attack against the LGBT+ community in modern history, claiming 49 lives and left 53 people with injuries.
