A Bad Bunny concert in Atlanta was targeted by an Arizona man who planned a mass shooting to incite a race war before the 2024 US presidential election, a federal indictment has alleged.
Mark Adams Prieto was indicted on charges of firearms trafficking, transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm by a federal grand jury on Tuesday following a months-long investigation.
According to the arrest affidavit (via NBC News), the FBI began investigating Prieto in October after being flagged by a source whom he attempted to recruit into his plot “advocating for a mass shooting” of African Americans and other minorities.
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“Prieto believes that martial law will be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting should occur prior,” the source told FBI agents, adding that he was “ready to kill a bunch of people.”
During the investigation, Prieto allegedly attempted to enlist an undercover FBI agent to assist him with a mass shooting at a rap concert in Atlanta because there would be a higher concentration of African Americans in attendance.
Prieto allegedly went as far as discussing with the source and undercover agent what types of weapons he planned to use and suggesting they stash weapons for the attack in advance of the concert. During a series of meetings between January and May of this year, Prieto mentioned a pair of concerts at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on May 14th and May 15th as potential targets.
Though authorities didn’t specify which concert, the two dates line up with shows that Bad Bunny was scheduled to perform at the arena. Prieto even sold two AR-style rifles to the undercover agent for use during the attack.
Prieto was arrested on May 14th while in possession of seven firearms. He admitted to discussing his plot with the source and undercover agent, as well as selling a firearm for use in the attack.
Each conviction of firearms trafficking and transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for possession of an unregistered firearm has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
