WASHINGTON – United States agents yesterday arrested a 21-year-old self-professed member of the misogynistic “incel” movement suspected of planning a mass shooting targeting female students at a university in Ohio.
Tres Genco, who has self-identified as being an “incel”, or involuntary celibate subculture, was arrested in March last year with illegal weapons having posted numerous messages expressing hate towards women on an incel website, said a Justice Department statement.
Genco allegedly wrote a manifesto in which he said he will “slaughter” women “out of hatred, jealousy and revenge”, according to the indictment.
The day he wrote the manifesto, the investigation found, Genco searched online for sororities and a university in Ohio. He also conducted surveillance at an Ohio university, said the statement.
In another note recovered by law enforcement, Genco said he wanted to “aim big” and kill 3,000 people, it added.
In 2019, he allegedly bought tactical gloves, a bulletproof vest, a hoodie printed with the word “revenge”, a bowie knife, a skull face mask and ammunition.
For several months in 2019, he attended basic army training in Georgia.
Last year, Genco was sentenced to 17 months in prison for “terrorist threats” by a court in Ohio.
He was released in January and re-arrested by federal agents yesterday. He was found to be in possession of a weapon equipped with a rapid fire device.
A federal grand jury charged Genco with attempting to commit a hate crime and illegally possessing a machine gun, said the statement.
Due to his alleged intent to kill, Genco could face life in prison for the hate crime charge. – AFP, July 22, 2021
