VENICE, FL -- Federal prosecutors have indicted a Venice man on charges of threatening a racially motivated mass shooting, as well as unlawful possession of a silencer.
Court filings say 26-year-old Alexander Lightner posted threads on an internet messaging platform, intending to carry out a mass shooting, using rhetoric and catchphrases often associated with white supremacists.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, hreats include "2024 there shall be saints," with saints meaning a term used by racially motivated extremists for someone who commits mass violence, "there is no surrender only death" and "you have not seen the wrath of the aryan that has no purpose left."
Federal law enforcement found an unregistered silencer, ammunition and several firearms while executing a search warrant at Lightner's home. He could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Lightner is currently in federal custody.
Photo: Pinellas County Jail/ Canva