A man from Florida has been charged with planning a mass shooting aimed at Jewish employees of a pro-Israel nonprofit organization, according to the Department of Justice.
Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, hailing from Gainesville, faces charges of attempted hate crime, and for using and possessing a firearm during a violent crime, as well as possessing a short-barreled rifle.
Federal prosecutors reported that on December 23, 2024, Pemberton tried to shoot himself at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) offices in Plantation, South Florida. He reportedly had an AR-15 style rifle with a silencer in his possession. The Palm Beach Post had previously noted AIPAC as a target, although the nonprofit group itself isn’t named in the court documents.
Critics of AIPAC argue that the organization supports the policies of the conservative Israeli government, especially regarding its settlement practices and military actions in the West Bank, while opposing restrictions on U.S. military aid to Israel.
If found guilty, Pemberton could face severe consequences, including life in prison for the hate crime charge, up to 30 consecutive years for firearms offenses, and five years for possession of the rifle.
Using cell phone geolocation technology, authorities tracked Pemberton. It is alleged that he planned to volunteer for AIPAC to gain access for an attack. He apparently left home on December 22, 2024, with two rifles and a handgun, having written a note for his family beforehand.
Upon arriving at what he thought was the AIPAC headquarters, he discovered it to be vacant, as reported by the Palm Beach Post.
The case came to law enforcement’s attention when Pemberton’s father reached out to the Gainesville Police, worried about his son’s well-being.
He reportedly left behind a letter for his family in which he expressed concerns about authority and discussed his feelings towards “modern flaws.”
His failed plot was revealed further when he was stopped in Tallahassee on Christmas Day 2024 while driving a rideshare vehicle. Authorities later found his abandoned pickup truck on the roadside.
At that traffic stop, Pemberton allegedly stated he was heading to Alabama to deliver one of his firearms to an acquaintance, and no arrests were made at that time. Following this, his father went to Tallahassee and brought him back to Gainesville.
On December 26, 2024, Pemberton consented to an interview with investigators, during which they inquired about any intentions of committing violence.
“Well, I don’t really know if I’m going to end it with my life,” he reportedly said. “I hadn’t gotten there yet. It was totally up to me whether I would get caught in the end. If I did, that was my escape route.”
He was arrested the following day.
