A Texas man was arrested and is now facing federal charges after posting threatening messages online, said the United States Attorney’s Office.
Manuel Flores, 42, was arrested by FBI agents in Dallas on Monday. A criminal complaint was filed against him in El Paso, said the Department of Justice in a news release on Wednesday.
Flores is accused of uploading a video to YouTube with a racial slur, referring to Black Lives Matter protests, where he allegedly threatened to kill African-Americans and protesters.
“My dream is at least take out at least 200” black people, Flores allegedly said in the video, investigators said. In the video, he has what appears to be an AR-15-style rifle.
Flores also allegedly implored Black Lives Matter protesters to try and “stop him,” officials alleged.
“On Monday, FBI agents located and arrested Flores in the Dallas area without incident. He had his initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate in Dallas,” the news release said.
Flores is charged with one count of transmitting threatening communications and could face as many as five years in federal prison.
“He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at this time awaiting transfer to El Paso. His preliminary hearing before a U.S. Magistrate in El Paso has yet to be scheduled,” the agency said.
The FBI is currently investigating the matter. Other details about the case were not provided by the agency.
Protests supporting the Black Lives Matter have resurged in recent days following the death of George Floyd, a black man, who died in Minneapolis police custody. Some demonstrations in various cities have turned violent, including riots, arson attacks, looting, vandalism, and shootings.
Derek Chauvin, the officer who pinned George Floyd to the ground by the neck, was charged with second-degree murder in the days following Floyd’s death, and three other officers were charged shortly afterward.
The four officers were fired from their jobs, while the three others were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
In Minnesota, the state’s county attorneys group recommended putting the state attorney general in charge of prosecuting all cases of killings involving police, but leaders of the Republican-controlled Senate rejected the proposal because they distrust the progressive group.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
