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Zachary Newell (U.S. Department of Justice).
A North Carolina resident has been sentenced to federal prison after making violent threats against a preschool. Zachary Newell, 26, expressed a desire to “shoot up” a preschool, claiming it would bring him pleasure to harm infants and witness their suffering. These disturbing comments have led to his two-year incarceration.
According to a Justice Department press release, Newell was sentenced for making online threats. He pleaded guilty last November to targeting at least 20 Black preschoolers through threatening remarks he posted on YouTube.
Prosecutors revealed that Newell’s threats were driven by racial animosity. His comments were specifically aimed at Black and Hispanic children, and he frequently directed hate speech towards minority internet users.
In an alarming message posted in August 2025, Newell wrote, “I’m gonna shoot up a black preschool,” and went on to say, “Twenty black babies will be shot and then skinned like the animals they are.” He further expressed his eagerness to commit violence in another post, stating, “Can’t wait to start killing.”
“Can’t wait to start killing,” Newell wrote in another post.
“The amount of pain and suffering black people are about to suffer makes me so happy,” he said. “I’m gonna be laughing when people like you start getting killed in the streets. LOL. It’s gonna be so fun to make you suffer until your last breath.”
On August 31, 2025, deputies with the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office made contact with Newell in Newport and asked him about his social media posts after receiving a “CyberTip” about them. Newell admitted to posting the threats.
“He stated that he had begun watching extremist content on Twitter,” the DOJ explains in a March 18 sentencing memorandum. “He began believing … conspiracy theories he read about on the internet.”
Deputies told Newell that they were contacted by the FBI and advised of the post on YouTube in which Newell claimed he was going to shoot up a preschool and “skin the children.”
Newell admitted to “searching demographics in various cities” but denied having any intent to act on that information, the sentencing memo says. “He claimed his interest was academic,” the document recounts. “Newell admitted to deleting his search history on his computer after being released on state bond; he claimed that he was embarrassed about pornography searches.”
A federal judge sentenced Newell on Wednesday.
“Newell threatened to become the next school shooter — at a preschool no less,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle in the DOJ’s press release announcing Newell’s conviction.
“Targeting babies for murder — simply because of the color of their skin — is disgusting and unacceptable in civilized society,” Boyle blasted. “The FBI quickly responded, preventing a shooting and brought a dangerous man to justice.”