What did Seann Pietila do? Charges against 19-year-old Neo-Nazi teen explored 

Seann Pietila, a Michigan teen who threatened mass killing at Shaarey Zedek synagogue in East Lansing, was arrested on Friday, June 16, 2023, federal officials said in a statement.

Authorities said that the FBI preempted a planned targeted attack against a Synagogue on Friday. This happened after the suspect, identified as 19-year-old Seann Pietila, was caught spewing several neo-nazi and antisemitic comments on social media, including Instagram.

The FBI was reportedly made aware of Seann Pietila's violent inclination against the Jewish population on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. After reviewing his social media accounts, authorities found several posts praising anti-semitic rhetoric and glorifying mass shootings at two New Zealand mosques by a white supremacist gunman in 2019.

According to court documents, the teenager discussed with another Instagram user carrying out mass killings by emulating the attack of the 2019 shooting at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Pietila reportedly also listed the address of the synagogue on his note app with the date he planned to commit the attack. The note app reportedly had the address of East Lansing Synagogue, Shaarey Zedek Congregation, and the date March 15, 2024. Below the synagogue and date, he made a list of weapons that read:

"Two Stag-15s, 12 gauge shotgun and two backup Glock 18's AND an Akm full auto conversion."

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Seann Pietila was allegedly planning to carry out the mass killing at the Shaarey Zedek congregation in 2024

On Friday, the FBI raided Seann Pietila's home and found a cache of weapons, knives, tactical equipment, a Nazi flag, survival manuals, and rough drafts to carry out the mass killing at the Shaarey Zedek congregation on March 15, 2024.

Pietila, who was taken into custody, told the investigators that while he had participated in conversations corresponding with anti-Semitic, neo-nazi ideologies, he did not intend to follow through with the mass killings.

However, authorities believe that it is more than likely the suspect would have committed the atrocities that he discussed on social media. One of the correspondences revealed the suspect discussing weapons and killing his classmates. The message read:

"Real though so do I only wish there were easier ways to get guns here bc I really need some at this point man I am done with everything as well."

Another message showed how Pietila potentially planned to kill numerous people as the punishment allegedly remains the same regardless of the magnitude of a hate crime. A direct message sent by Pietila also showed him talking about girls and expressing his frustrations laced with violence.

"She’s been ignoring me constantly and just been being a dry texter. But yeah I’m just done at this point. F**k this world and everything in it. I’m gonna start making plans soon, just gotta buy a few more things."

Shortly after the suspect was arrested, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, in a statement praised the swift action of FBI agents, who prevented a potential attack on the Jewish community. He added:

"Antisemitic threats and violence against our Jewish communities - or any other group for that matter - will not be tolerated in the Western District of Michigan. Today and every day, we take all credible threats seriously."

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Meanwhile, Seann Pietila's mother, Brittany Stob, told ABC News in a phone call on Saturday that her son had no intention of attacking the synagogue next year.

Stob said that her son, who allegedly suffered from mental health issues, was caught up in a whirlwind of anti-semitic content during the pandemic and merely made some comments he shouldn't have. She alleged that the weapons recovered at the home belonged to her and her husband.