Arizona resident Mark Adams Prieto has been charged by a federal grand jury for his involvement in planning a mass shooting in Atlanta with the intention of sparking a race war. The case was brought to light by WSB-TV, revealing that Prieto had been under FBI investigation for several months after suspicions arose that he was selling firearms to individuals in hopes of inciting violence before the 2024 Presidential Election.
According to reports, Prieto had engaged in disturbing conversations over the past few years with a source, expressing extreme views on politics, race, and religion. These exchanges with the source turned increasingly concerning, with Prieto even suggesting carrying out a mass shooting targeting specific racial groups like Blacks, Jews, or Muslims.
In one instance, Prieto asked the source if they were willing to participate in a violent act, believing that martial law would be implemented following the 2024 election. The FBI affidavit stated that he was actively recruiting individuals to carry out a mass shooting in Atlanta.
During FBI surveillance between January and March of this year, Prieto was monitored at a gun show in Prescott, Arizona, where he admitted to conducting off-the-grid firearm transactions to avoid detection by authorities. When questioned about his choice of targeting Atlanta, he criticized the state’s current status, attributing it to an influx of individuals from other cities bringing crime with them.
Prieto’s plan included targeting a hip-hop concert as he believed it would attract a large number of African Americans. He also expressed his desire to leave Confederate flags at the scene of the massacre to incite racial tension across the nation, referring to his intended victims as “monsters.”
The alarming details of Prieto’s intentions and actions highlight the importance of ongoing vigilance and investigation to prevent acts of violence and hate from threatening communities.