A Michigan man pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of committing a hate crime by attempting to carry out a mass killing, according to authorities.
According to court documents, Mack Davis, 22, of Owosso, admitted that he attempted to conduct a mass killing of individuals at a political party headquarters and a nearby bar in the Eastern District of Michigan because he associated both locations with gay people.
“This defendant amassed an arsenal of firearms, rounds of ammunition and bombmaking parts that he intended to use to carry out the mass killing of gay people. This kind of vile and heinous hate-fueled violence, intended to target innocent people based on their sexual orientation, runs contrary to our values as Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Bias-motivated crimes targeting the LGBTQI+ community will not be tolerated. The Justice Department will continue using every tool at our disposal to protect communities from the scourge of hate-fueled violence by prosecuting those who carry out or attempt to carry out such crimes.”
“Davis’ plans were chilling. He intended to commit mass shootings at two locations — destroying countless lives and devastating our community — all because of his fanatical hatred for gay people,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “I applaud the work of law enforcement in disrupting this awful plot and arresting Davis before he could carry out his planned attacks. Today’s guilty plea is a reflection of my office’s commitment to prosecuting bias crimes and is a critical step in holding this defendant accountable for his actions.”
According to court documents, between July 2023 and June 2024, Davis used search engines and social media to research, post about, and pay tribute to mass killers. He also wrote extensively about them in journals and on various items in his home.
During this time, Davis began planning his own mass killing. He created a list of weapons and tactical gear he owned or intended to acquire for his attack.
By June 2024, Davis had obtained all the items on his list. His arsenal included two firearms, magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a crossbow with arrows, bomb-making materials, smoke grenades, tactical gear, clothing, and several knives.
One of the knives was inscribed with an anti-gay slur, “FAGGOT Killer.”
Between April and June, Davis finalized his plan for a mass killing, officials stated.
He posted on social media about his intention to attack a political party headquarters, which he referred to as “Location 1,” calling it “filled with far-left liberal, faggot scum.” He also wrote that he would continue his attack at “Location 2,” a nearby bar he described as “a faggot bar.”
Davis researched both locations online, conducted physical surveillance, and shared his findings on social media. During this time, he also vandalized two cars owned by his gay neighbors, spray-painting the slur “fag” on one of them.
Days later, he test-fired an illegal short-barreled rifle, firing around 60 rounds into his neighbors’ properties, including one of the vandalized cars.
Following the shooting, the Owosso Police Department arrested Davis. He was later transferred to federal custody, where he has remained since.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
Because Davis’s hate crime involved an attempt to kill, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case, with assistance the from the Owosso Police Department, ATF and Michigan State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Lee Carlson and Christopher W. Rawsthorne for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.