A Brooklyn man’s anti-vegan grudge led him to threaten a mass capturing and stabbing on the Woodstock Fruit Pageant upstate if its organizers did not cancel the occasion or stop folks he hated from attending, say specialists. federals.
William Swift, 32, describes himself as an “incel,” or involuntary celibate, federal prosecutors stated in a memorandum filed Tuesday in Brooklyn Federal Court docket. “Members of this motion have more and more engaged in violent exercise,” Assistant United States Lawyer Gilbert Rein wrote within the memo.
Swift is accused of constructing his threats in emails and audio recordings to one of many organizers of the week-long competition, telling him in a chilling message: “Ideally, I might go to Woodstock to shoot … Jews.” meet up. That will be superb,” in line with courtroom paperwork.
Federal authorities arrested Swift Tuesday morning and he was scheduled to seem earlier than a federal courtroom Justice of the Peace in Brooklyn later that day.
Held August 21-28 at Camp Walden in Diamond Level, New York, the competition payments itself as a lakeside “vegan well being retreat” and “a complete celebration of well being, fruit-based food plan and private development”. ”
Swift started her marketing campaign in opposition to the girl who runs the competition in February by warning her in an e-mail to not permit two males related to the occasion to attend, in line with a federal criticism.
The messages intensified after that, in line with courtroom paperwork.
“Sure none of them can go to Woodstock, if I see them at Woodstock on-line I’ll go to Woodstock with a gun and shoot them or whoever is in my means… not you, I’ll by no means shoot you. but,” Swift stated in a message.
“I hope everybody comes so I can go upstairs and shoot everybody,” he stated in one other.
He additionally threatened to stab folks “with my authorized razor” if the competition went forward as deliberate, and threatened to “do a fucking Ted Bundy” to the organizer, recognized in courtroom paperwork as Jane Doe.
“I am sorry to say this, however I can not cease fantasizing about doing actually, actually, actually dangerous issues to you. I haven’t got a plan, I simply fantasize about doing actually, actually dangerous issues to you,” Swift stated. , in line with the criticism. She additionally threatened to kill her if she went to the police, the feds allege.
“If I used to be actually arrested, I might actually kill her,” he stated in a textual content message, later boasting that he “closed the youngsters’ drag queen present” at a well being competition.
He additionally directed his anger at others concerned with the competition, together with a former presenter, whom he instructed in a Could 12 message: “I hate you… and I see this as a dying cult and if I see you on WFF I will goal you.” for you and your mates or your spouse however primarily for you.”
The FBI traced all of the messages to an Web tackle at Swift’s dwelling in japanese New York, in line with the criticism.
New York police arrested Swift on one other cost in July after she “instructed an acquaintance through Instagram that she ‘fantasizes[d] about capturing up Washington Sq. Park,” Rein wrote.
He knew the partitions have been closing by then, in line with a legal criticism filed in Manhattan Prison Court docket.
“I am afraid the FBI goes to catch me. I’ve threatened so many individuals whereas he was drunk,” he texted the acquaintance. “I am afraid I will not be capable of restore the injury I’ve already performed.”
In one other Instagram publish, he continued, “Day-after-day I really feel nothing however hopelessness and hate…Actually, I’ve been sending loopy quantities of dying threats to folks…I’ve been instructed the FBI is coming to arrest me for that at any time. ”
After that arrest, the NYPD took Swift to a hospital for a psychological analysis, and Manhattan prosecutors charged him with falsely reporting an incident. The cost was not eligible for bond.
Swift, who goes by the deal with “thefruitariannyc” on Instagram and lives in East New York, has apparently taken subject with the vegan way of life and the vegan neighborhood. Court docket paperwork say she acknowledged in July: “I swear to God, I hate vegans and uncooked vegans. I’m now not a frugivore.”
He additionally performs guitar on the Union Sq. subway station and has posted movies of his performances on YouTube.
Woodstock Fruit Pageant organizers didn’t instantly return a message searching for remark Tuesday.