Charges: Minnesota man planned to live stream mass shooting

A man whom police believe fits the profile of a “mass violence perpetrator” is behind bars and facing felony charges after allegedly threatening mass violence in an online chat former.

Daniel Jennings, 32, of Fergus Falls, was arrested after a person from Vancouver, Washington reported that Jennings had threatened her life on the online chat server Discord. Another complaint reported Jennings threatening a mass shooting and suicide by cop while playing an online game.

According to the charges filed in Otter Tail County District Court, Jennings warned that his guns were loaded and “everything nice and clean and ready to go.”

“I have literally taken a sick day off work. That’s how bad all this has f***** me up,” his message read, adding that he’ll “kill that piece of s***” from Vancouver, Washington .

He also referred to himself as “the Charles Whiteman type,” which was an apparent reference to 1966 Austin, Texas mass murderer Charles Whitman, who fired on innocent people for 96 minutes, killing 14 and wounding 31 others.

Jennings also messaged people in the chat saying he was planning to livestream the attack, saying it “Will be lots of fun.”

“I mean, I’m just giving the people what they want. Entertainment,” his message reads, according to the charges.

The criminal complaint notes that Fergus Falls was set to celebrate its annual Summerfest beginning June 10, with a parade happening June 11. While the reference was made, it’s unclear based on the charges if Jennings was planning to attack during the city’s festival events.

Just before 10:30 am on June 11, a search warrant conducted at Jennings’ home turned up multiple guns and “a large amount of ammunition.” Jennings had a bolt-action rifle, Ruger AR-15 and a .44 caliber handgun. He also had a gas mask and a filing system that authorities included saying what “appeared to be a ‘hit list’ containing names, addresses, and phone numbers of individuals.”

Jennings has been charged with two counts of felony terrorist threats and three counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.