The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified intelligence documents online had researched mass shootings, made violent and racist threats, and had built up an “arsenal” of weaponry, according to Justice Department lawyers.
In legal filings late Wednesday, prosecutors argued that Jack Teixeira, 21, should be detained pending trial in light of his personal history and alleged attempts to destroy evidence before his arrest earlier this month. They alleged he poses a “serious flight risk” and may even “still have access to a trove of classified information that would be of tremendous value to hostile nation states that could offer him safe harbor and attempt to facilitate his escape from the United States.”
In its filing, the DOJ divulged details of what it described as Teixeira’s “troubling history.” In July 2022, he allegedly used his government computer to research notorious mass shootings by searching for terms including “Ruby Ridge,” “Las Vegas shooting,” and “Uvalde.”