Michael Pengchung Lee, 27, of Tucson, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to Interstate Threats for transmitting threats through interstate communications to commit a mass shooting at the University of Arizona. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3, 2024, before United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez.
The complaint alleged that on October 23, 2023, Lee made threats to commit a mass shooting at the University of Arizona in a group chat on Snapchat. Lee is not a student at the university, but expressed a desire to get revenge on “all the chads and stacies!!” “Chads” and “stacies” are commonly used terms by self-described involuntary celibates (incels). Lee made further reference to incel ideology and finished the conversation by stating “im gonna do it guys, my mind is made up and there’s nothing u can do or say to stop me.”
On Wednesday, Lee admitted that on October 22, 2023, he sent multiple Snapchat messages to a group chat threatening to commit a mass shooting at the University of Arizona. Lee further admitted that in those messages he referenced incel ideology, language, and motivations, including referring to a well-known, self-identified incel and mass shooter, amongst other incel references. Lee also admitted that in at least two other Snapchat conversations, he threatened to commit a mass shooting at the university, citing the same incel ideology and motivations.
A conviction for Interstate Threats carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years of supervised release.
“We must protect the intellectual rigor, diversity and safety of our universities,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Robust intervention and prosecution of misogynists who threaten young students is critical to public safety. Our thanks to the community members who reported the threats and to our law enforcement partners at the University of Arizona Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their quick and decisive response to social media intimidation.”
“All students deserve to feel safe at their schools, and threats like these deprive students of that right. We are extremely grateful for the brave members of the community who spoke up with their concerns and reported this to law enforcement,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis. “We would like to thank our partners at the University of Arizona and the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force (SAVCGTF) for their collective efforts to ensure our college campuses remain a safe space for students to continue their education free of fear and hate.”
“This case is a wonderful example of our strong partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said University of Arizona Police Chief Chris Olson. “It also illustrates the sense of urgency in which the University of Arizona Police Department, the UA Office of Public Safety, and our federal partners will act when our community is threatened.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Arizona Police Department, as part of the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
