FBI arrested a man in South Carolina after he purchased a gun from an undercover FBI agent with the intention to commit a crime similar to 'Dylann Roof style attack.' The man had been previously imprisoned for a felony, according to authorities.
According to the complaint affidavit filed by FBI agent Grant Lowe, Benjamin McDowell, 29, purchased a .40 caliber Glock pistol and ammunition. He was then charged with illegal possession of firearm in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina afterward.
Prior to McDowell's arrest, authorities have known that he made unspecified threats, and even told agent Lowe that he might shoot at a gathering of black people. He was noted for having an affiliation with white supremacists gang during his time in prison, as reported by ABC News.
According to ABC Columbia, McDowell has been investigated starting December after he threatened a local synagogue on Facebook. A few days later, he posted again to Facebook about his complain of white supremacists being unwilling to act on their convictions.
McDowell said on Facebook that his companions who he called Jews just wanted themselves to be loaded with drugs always. Instead of 'feasting on enemies that stole their heritage and their bloodline and tried to run them off of the Earth they feasted with drugs. "If you ain't got the heart to fight for Yahweh like dylann roof did, you need to shut the f--- up," he added. These words from McDowell showed his clear intent and threat to commit a crime similar with Dylann Roof.
Still through Facebook Instant Messenger McDowell requested an "iron" a code word for a gun on Jan. 6, 2017, according to the complaint. McDowell has court records of assault and burglary since 2008. He was also noted to have a connection with white supremacists gang.
Dylann Roof is an American mass murderer and white supremacist sentenced to death last month for killing 9 African-Americans including a senator and a pastor on June 17, 2015, at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He also injured one during the attack. This was the crime McDowell is planning to imitate.
