A man was arrested in North Texas on February 18 after allegedly planning to kill Jewish officials in Michigan, including state Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Jack Eugene Carpenter III of Tipton, Michigan, was charged in a criminal complaint with using his Twitter handle @tempered_reason to threaten to kill Jewish government officials in Michigan.
One post made by Carpenter allegedly said, “I’m heading back to Michigan now threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is Jewish [sic] in the Michigan govt [sic] if they don’t leave or confess,” per the FBI’s affidavit.
Carpenter’s mother told police that Carpenter called her from Texas and requested money, so he could return to Michigan. When she refused, Carpenter became angry and said he would sell silver to get money instead.
A Twitter post made by Carpenter on the morning of February 18 said, “I’ll be coming back to Michigan, still driving with expired plates. You may want to let everyone know, and Wayne County sheriff as well, any attempt to subdue me will be met with deadly force in self-defense.”
Carpenter’s mother advised that, to her knowledge, Carpenter had various guns in his possession. She stated that she believed that Carpenter had three guns: a 12-gauge shotgun and two hunting rifles — one of which she believed to be a military-style weapon.
“When the defendant was arrested, in his vehicle they found approximately a half dozen firearms and ammunition,” said federal prosecutor Hank Moon in court on Wednesday, per CNN Politics. “One of the threats he made was to shoot somebody.”
Attorney General Dana Nessel released a Twitter statement on Thursday acknowledging that she was one of Carpenter’s targets.
“The FBI has confirmed I was a target of the heavily armed defendant in this matter. It is my sincere hope that the federal authorities take this offense just as seriously as my Hate Crimes & Domestic Terrorism Unit takes plots to murder elected officials,” tweeted Nessel.
Nessel testified in support of gun safety legislation in front of the state senate on Thursday, where she also addressed the threats made.
“As the top law enforcement agent in the state of Michigan, and as a mother, I too am exasperated and disgusted that thousands of Michigan residents fall victim each year to the scourge of senseless, preventable gun violence in our state,” Nessel testified, per the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
“These are practical and effective measures that are already saving lives in other states and will here as well. In the event that they are challenged in court, it would be my duty and honor to defend them. I pledge that when these laws are enacted, I will use every tool of my office to ensure that every Michigan resident is informed about these laws and that they will be vigorously enforced.”
