TerrorismChristchurch-style terrorism reaches American shores

By Emerson T. Brooking

Published 3 May 2019

In wake of the attack at Chabad synagogue of Poway, California,  it is important to examine digital communications surrounding the shooting and what they suggest about future terrorist activity.

19-year-old John Earnest uploaded his terrorist manifesto at 9:11 a.m. PST. The document was an anti-Jewish screed, punctuated with references to white Christian militantism and vitriolic internet memes. To ensure his manifesto remained online, Earnest used two separate web hosting services, MediaFire and Pastebin.

At 11:00 a.m., Earnest took to 8chan, an imageboard popular with white ethno-nationalists, to announce his impending attack and bid farewell to the community. “I’ve only been lurking for a year and a half,” he wrote, “yet what I’ve learned here is priceless.” He shared links to his manifesto and Facebook Live stream. He also included a playlist of “meme-able” songs he intended to play during his livestream: from artists like The Beach Boys and Imagine Dragons; from videogames like Halo; and from the Pokémon television show.

The songs would go unplayed. The livestream would never materialize. Within the hour, Earnest would become the target of mockery among white ethno-nationalists, his deadly attack derided as a failure. It would stir some to wonder how they might do it better.

But as Earnest rehearsed a final time in his head, he did not know that yet.

His target was Chabad of Poway, a synagogue in a small California suburb, 25 miles north of San Diego. Roughly 100 Jewish worshippers had gathered there to celebrate the end of Passover.

At 11:23 a.m., Earnest entered the synagogue. He wore body armor and carried a rifle; he began shooting immediately. He killed a 60-year-old woman and wounded three others, including an 8-year-old girl. He discharged roughly 10 rounds.

The worshippers fought back, including an off-duty Border Patrol agent who opened fire on Earnest as he fled. Escaping by car, the terrorist was interdicted by police a short time later and peacefully surrendered.

The Poway Synagogue attack marks a national tragedy. It also represents the latest manifestation of a terrorist movement premised on the racial and cultural superiority of white people of European descent. This movement has thrived on toxic internet imageboards<most notably 8chan and 4chanthrough which it has disseminated footage of its attacks and radicalized a new generation of recruits.

In wake of the attack at Chabad of Poway, it is important to examine digital communications surrounding the shooting and what they suggest about future terrorist activity.