North Carolina Man Arrested, Charged With Threatening To Carry Out Shootings At A Church And Grocery Store, And To Attack A Family

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Daniel Parson, 33, of Charlotte, NC, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making threats in or affecting interstate commerce. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel L. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of  May 3, 2023, an individual, later identified as Parson, called the Buffalo Police Department A-District, and stated that he was going to “shoot up” a “fellowship church” on May 7, 2023. Parson also stated that “they knew who he was, and they had it coming.” Later that morning, at approximately 7:50 a.m., Parson called the Buffalo Police Department D-District and stated that he was going to “slaughter” a specific family located in Buffalo at 2:30 p.m. And shortly before 9:00 a.m., Parson called the Buffalo Police Department C-District and stated that he would conduct a mass shooting at an unspecified Tops grocery store.

Parson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada and ordered held following a detention hearing in Federal Court in the District of Nevada. He will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.      

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