A man from Florida stands accused of planning a mass shooting aimed at Jewish staff members of a pro-Israel nonprofit, according to the Justice Department’s announcement.
Forrest Kendall Pemberton, a 27-year-old resident of Gainesville, faces charges that include an attempted hate crime, using a firearm during a violent crime, and possessing a short-barreled rifle.
Prosecutors revealed that on December 23, 2024, Pemberton allegedly tried to execute an attack at the office of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Plantation, South Florida. AIPAC is known for its lobbying efforts in the U.S. on behalf of Israel.
Authorities reported Pemberton was armed with a silencer-equipped, AR-15-style rifle during the incident. While court documents did not explicitly name the nonprofit, the Palm Beach Post identified AIPAC as the intended target.
AIPAC has faced criticism for its support of conservative Israeli policies, including settlement expansion in the West Bank and assertive military operations. Critics argue that the group opposes imposing conditions on U.S. military assistance to Israel.
A visitor holds an AIPAC folder in an elevator at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 2024. A Florida man is charged with plotting to carry out an attack at an AIPAC building in 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
If convicted, Pemberton faces up to life in prison on the attempted hate crime count, a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 30 years in prison on the firearm count, and up to five years in prison on the possession count.
Investigators traced Pemberton using cellphone geolocation technology. He allegedly planned to volunteer for AIPAC in an effort to gain access to the group and carry out a deadly attack. Authorities said he left his home on Dec. 22, 2024, with two rifles and a pistol after leaving a note for his family.
However, when he arrived at the building he believed to be the AIPAC headquarters, the structure was empty, The Palm Beach Post previously reported.
Law enforcement initially became involved in the case when Pemberton’s father called the Gainesville Police Department out of concern over his son’s disappearance. The newspaper reported that Pemberton left a letter apologizing to his family and discussing his “adversity to authority” and the “flaws of modern day.”
The Justice Department seal. (Brendan Smialowski/Afp)
“Living in a flawed system haunts me in ways I cannot describe,” he allegedly wrote. “I am breaking the loop.”
Pemberton was pulled over in Tallahassee on Christmas Day 2024 while driving a rideshare vehicle. His abandoned pickup truck was subsequently found by authorities on the side of a road. At the time, Pemberton allegedly told authorities that he was on his way to Alabama to deliver one of his guns to an acquaintance.
No arrest was made during that traffic stop. Pemberton’s father was notified, traveled to Tallahassee, and brought his son back to Gainesville.
On Dec. 26, 2024, Pemberton agreed to be interviewed by investigators, who asked if he had intended to commit an act of violence.
“Um, I really don’t know if I was gonna end it with my life or not,” he allegedly said. “I hadn’t gotten that far yet. It entirely depended if I ended up getting caught. If caught, that was the way out.”
Pemberton was arrested the following day. News Media has reached out to ZAIPAC.
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