Neo-Nazi Teen Planned Mass Shooting At Michigan Synagogue, FBI Says

The FBI charged 19-year-old Seann Pietila with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure someone, according to a complaint filed Friday, after the agency received reports of threatening messages—including one in which Pietila said “Heil Hitler”—sent by him on Instagram, Pinterest and Discord.

Investigators say they found a message on Pietila’s phone that suggested he planned to attack a synagogue in East Lansing, Michigan, with pipe bombs, molotov cocktails, multiple assault rifles and a shotgun, before killing himself.

While executing a search warrant of Pietila’s home, investigators also found a shotgun, an assault rifle, a pistol, multiple knives, tactical vests, gas masks and a Nazi flag.

The attack would have taken place on March 15, 2024, on the five-year anniversary of two mass shootings in New Zealand by Brenton Tarrant, who—alongside Anders Behring Breivik, who killed more than 70 people at a Norwegian youth camp in 2011—was praised by Pietila in his messages.

Pietila—who returns to court for a detention hearing on June 22—confirmed to investigators he sent the messages, but denied any intent to carry out the shooting.