A Carteret County man who commented on a social media post threatening to “shoot up a black preschool” is now facing federal charges.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Ellis Boyle said the allegations against Zachary Newell of Newport “deeply disturb” federal law enforcement agents and “have no place in our society, certainly not in Eastern North Carolina.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina James Barnacle, Jr. added that “Every child in North Carolina deserves go to school without fear.”
Court documents show that Google notified the FBI's National Threat Operations Center in late August of threatening comments posted by YouTube user "CommentatorsHateMe" and investigators linked the account as belonging to Newell.
Newell is accused of using the account to post threats directed at public YouTube channels discussing a wrestling match.
One comment Newell wrote said, "I'm gonna shoot up a black preschool. 20 black babies will be shot," and the affidavit shows Newell directed additional racist threats promoting violence against Black people.
He faces up to five years in a federal prison if he’s convicted.
