Coast Guard Lieutenant Arrested for Planned Domestic Terrorist Attack

 

 

When: February 15, 2019

Location: Washington, DC

Attack Suspect: Christopher Paul Hasson

Victims: 0 (Arrested before planned attack could occur)

Weapon(s): 15 semi-automatic weapons and 1000 rounds of ammunition

Type of attacker: Domestic Terrorism

 

Description:

On February 15, 2019, 49-year-old U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant, Christopher Paul Hasson was arrested for stockpiling weapons and drugs. Court documents began with the statement. “The defendant intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country.” Hasson is a self-described white nationalist. He is being treated as a domestic terrorist. Investigation has revealed that his targets consisted of Democratic party lawmakers and well-known top TV news anchors, particularly for MSNBC and CNN. One of the targets included Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. According to NBC News (Link below),

In addition to Pelosi, Hasson was allegedly considering some type of violent assault on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Richard Blumenthal, along with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Maxine Waters and former House member, Bet O'Rourke. The spreadsheet list also included MSNBC hosts Chris Hayes and Joe Scarborough, as well as Don Lemon and Van Jones from CNN.

Investigation also revealed that Hasson expressed supremist views for years before being arrested. He had stated that his dream was to kill every last person on Earth. His message was to commit an act or acts to affect the government. He admitted to being a domestic terrorist. Before being in the military, he was a skinhead 30 years ago.

There is little doubt that this intervention likely prevented a major attack, or attacks.

 

Links:

Greg Myra and Vanessa Romo, Arrested Coast Guard Officer Allegedly Planned Attack 'On A Scale Rarely Seen', NPR, February 20, 2019.

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/20/696470366/arrested-coast-guard-officer-planned-mass-terrorist-attack-on-a-scale-rarely-see

 

Ken Dilanian and Pete Williams, Coast Guard officer wanted to kill Democrats, TV hosts, say prosecutors, NBC News, February 21, 2019.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/coast-guard-officer-wanted-kill-democrats-msnbc-hosts-say-prosecutors-n973786