US News
An Arizona man allegedly plotted to gun down black people at an Atlanta Bad Bunny concert in an attempt to spark a race war ahead of the presidential election, according to federal prosecutors.
Mark Adams Prieto, 58, was indicted Tuesday nearly a month after he was arrested over the alleged plot, in which he planned to murder as many black people as he could with semi-automatic rifles he’d bought through cash deals or trades to avoid detection from gun regulators.
He was outed after a source he’d recruited to participate in the massacre notified FBI agents, leading to a months-long investigation tat ended after he attempted to recruit an undercover agent to join the mass shooting, according to an affidavit obtained by NBC News.
“Prieto believes that martial law will be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting should occur prior,” the source told the FBI Phoenix, according to the affidavit, adding that he was “ready to kill a bunch of people.”
He allegedly decided to target Atlanta because he believed black people had gathered there and turned it into a hotbed of crime.
“The reason I say Atlanta. Why, why is Georgia such a f–ked-up state now? When I was a kid that was one of the most conservative states in the country. Why is it not now?,” Prieto allegedly told the source.
“Because as the crime got worse in L.A., St. Louis, and all these other cities, all the [racial slur] moved out of those [places] and moved to Atlanta. That’s why it isn’t so great anymore. And they’ve been there for a couple, several years,” he said, according to the affidavit.
Prieto recruited the source over the course of three gun shows where they spoke extensively and bought and traded guns to use in the shooting, eventually bringing the undercover FBI agent into the plot.
He allegedly decided to target a rap concert because he believed it would draw a concentrated gathering of black people, and advised his supposed conspirators to wear hoodies when they infiltrated the crowd because he said the outfits would not draw attention in such a setting.
“We’re going to fight back now, and every whitey will be the enemy across the whole country,” Prieto allegedly said, explaining how he wanted to leave Confederate flags at the scene and shout ““KKK all the way,” and “no mercy, no quarter.”
Prieto allegedly went so far as to plan to stash guns near the concert before travelling across the country to carry out the shooting, and targeted concerts scheduled for either mid-May, June, or July, including one where Bad Bunny was expected to perform.
By March Prieto was still planning to carry out the shooting, but come April he told the undercover agent he wanted to delay it.
A month later he was arrested on May 14, and admitted to investigators that he had talked about carrying out a mass shooting.
“However, he told agents that he did not intend to go forward with the attack,” the affidavit read.
He was charged with Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Firearms Trafficking, and Transfer of a Firearm for Use in a Hate Crime.
If convicted Prieto could face up to 40 years in prison.
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Elaine Hadley is a dedicated journalist covering the ever-evolving landscape of U.S. news. With a keen interest in politics and a commitment to uncovering the truth, she provides insightful commentary and in-depth analysis on domestic issues. When not reporting, Elaine enjoys exploring the diverse cultures and landscapes of the United States.
