FBI Stops Threatened Mass Shooting at North Carolina Preschool

FBI Director Kash Patel announced that federal agents successfully prevented a potential mass shooting at a preschool in North Carolina by arresting 25-year-old Zachary Charles Newell. Newell allegedly posted violent, racist threats online under the username "CommentatorsHateMe," expressing his intention to "shoot up" a preschool and kill Black children. The threats were reported by Google to the FBI, leading to Newell's arrest and subsequent federal charges, including interstate threat to kidnap or injure. Local law enforcement and the FBI collaborated swiftly to detain Newell, who was initially released on bond but then taken into federal custody to prevent any harm. Patel emphasized the FBI's commitment to protecting children and schools, condemning the threats as acts of cowardice and warning that individuals making such threats will face severe legal consequences. No specific preschool was named in the threats, and authorities confirmed there is no ongoing threat to schools in Carteret County.