Michigan man Mack Davis, 22, has pleaded guilty to planning a hate-motivated mass shooting at a local political party’s headquarters and a nearby bar in Owosso because he associated both locations with gay people. Davis faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the attempt. The Department of Justice has condemned such bias-motivated crimes against the LGBTQI+ community and vows to prosecute offenders. Davis researched mass killers, collected an arsenal of weapons, and posted threats on social media between July and June, when he was arrested. He also vandalized cars, test-fired his firearms, and planned attacks on the political headquarters and bar. The police disrupted his plans and arrested him after the shooting incident in June.
Davis’ attorney defended him, saying he did not harm anyone intentionally and was vulnerable at the age of 22. Davis does not have a history of violent behavior, according to his attorney. The incident is reminiscent of past mass shootings at gay bars, such as the 2016 attack on Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and the 2020 attack on Club Q in Colorado Springs. Authorities are facing scrutiny for potentially failing to prevent the Colorado shooting under the state’s red flag law. Davis will be sentenced for the foiled attack at a later date. The Michigan U.S. Attorney commended law enforcement for preventing the potential devastation Davis could have caused.
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