NEW DLEHI:
Mark Adams Prieto
, a 58-year-old man from Prescott, Arizona, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to an alleged plot to carry out a
mass shooting
targeting
African Americans
at a rap concert in Atlanta. According to federal authorities, Prieto's goal was to incite a
race war
ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
The indictment follows an extensive investigation by the FBI, which began in October after a confidential source reported that Prieto had expressed a desire to spark a race war prior to the election.
The source, who had interacted with Prieto at various gun shows over a three-year period, told authorities that Prieto's comments had become increasingly alarming, including advocating for a mass shooting targeting Blacks, Jews, or Muslims.
Prieto allegedly believed that martial law would be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting should occur beforehand. He reportedly asked the source if they were "ready to kill a bunch of people," indicating his intention to recruit others to assist in the attack, reports NBC.
Prieto, a vendor at gun shows in Prescott, allegedly used cash deals and trades to acquire firearms while evading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
During the FBI's surveillance of Prieto from January to March, he revealed his plan to the source and an undercover FBI agent at a gun show in Phoenix. Prieto targeted Atlanta because he believed that as crime worsened in other cities, African Americans had moved there, making it less conservative than in the past.
He chose a rap concert due to the expected high concentration of African Americans and planned to leave confederate flags after the shooting to send a message of retaliation. Prieto allegedly wanted to show "no mercy, no quarter" and stressed the importance of a high body count.
Prieto discussed the types of weapons he intended to use and suggested traveling to Atlanta before the attack to store weapons in the area. He specifically mentioned that the attack should occur after Super Tuesday to ensure the election candidates were known. In February, while under surveillance at another gun show in Phoenix, Prieto allegedly sold a firearm to the undercover agent for $2,000.
The case against Prieto highlights the ongoing threat of racially motivated violence and the importance of vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public in preventing such attacks.
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