Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
35-year-old Eric Lin of Maryland has been taken into custody on federal charges after Facebook messages showed he threatened Hispanics in Florida, calling for the extermination of Spanish-speaking people and others, per AP.
The big picture: Booking documents show the suspect once wrote, "We are ready to kill Spanish peoples and Latin peoples by the [m]illions." The arrest comes just weeks after a mass shooter targeted Hispanics in El Paso, leaving nearly 2 dozen dead and prompting fear throughout the U.S. Just this past week 3 potential mass shooters were arrested for similar charges, per CNN.
- Brandon Wagshol, 22, was arrested for alleged Facebook activity that expressed interest in committing a mass shooting.
- Tristan Scott Wix, 25, was arrested based on graphic text messages where he allegedly threatened to commit a mass shooting.
- James Patrick Reardon, 20, was arrested for allegedly threatened to shoot up a Jewish community center in Youngstown, Ohio.
What he's saying: Similar to the El Paso shooter, Lin invoked President Trump, stating, "I thank God everyday President Donald John Trump is President and that he will launch a Racial War and Crusade." He followed with a list of racial expletives.
- The suspect said he looked forward to committing a genocide, and that he would "enslave, Rape And use" the target of his messages.
- "This is a RACE WAR and ALL of you will DIE," he wrote.
- "I will let you live so you can slowly watch me destroy your Entire Race, then your family will be targeted for being 'Anti-American' which they are."
Go deeper: America's hate problem