Man Who Threatened Florida Synagogue Had History of Cyberstalking
Before he threatened to commit mass murder, Hanson Larkin had a pattern of cyberstalking and anti-Semitism, court records show. The Volusia County resident, who yesterday pleaded guilty to sending messages threatening to shoot up a synagogue, was first reported to police by a Hialeah resident who said he was being harassed by Larkin.
Larkin and the Hialeah man — identified only by his initials, L.R., in an FBI report — connected online more than a year ago but had never met in person. L.R. told police he had rejected Larkin's unwanted romantic advances.
But Larkin felt entitled to L.R.'s affections and continued to harass him, according to court records. Over the summer, Larkin's messages became increasingly menacing. Documents show he began expressing his hatred for the Jewish community and his desire to harm himself and others. Then, in August, he took an Amtrak train to Miami to show up at L.R.'s home unannounced.
"If meeting me for five seconds is not worth the lives of multiple Jews then I have no other option," Larkin texted L.R. in late August, according to the FBI report. "I bought a gun with my first paycheck if I don't meet you I will be forced to use it... There's a Chabad near me. And Amtrak has no security for weapon [sic]. Don't make me make a choice they'll regret."
Read more: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/hanson-larkin-man-who-threatened-mass-shooting-at-florida-synagogue-had-history-of-cyberstalking-11313554
