Henry Horton, 19, is held on $1 million bond over accusations of threats
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man was arrested in September after being pulled over for a broken headlight, which led law enforcement to discover his plans for a mass murder spree, according to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said on Sept. 18, a Jupiter police officer pulled over Henry Joseph Horton IV, 19, after spotting that his truck’s passenger headlight was broken.
During the traffic stop, police searched Horton’s truck, uncovering several handwritten pages documenting his plans to purchase firearms and “kill everyone at (Okeechobee High School) with my guns,” an arrest affidavit states. Court records show Horton had graduated from the school in 2022.
A “bong” and three filet-style knives were also found during the search, deputies said. Following the traffic stop, Horton was committed under Florida’s Baker Act.
In a later interview with detectives, Horton explained he was planning on killing 15 people at the school before heading to El Rey Jesus church in Miami for a “stabbing spree,” the affidavit shows.
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Detectives added that Horton had been heading to the church for “recon” prior to the traffic stop. When asked about why he wanted to attack the church, Horton replied, “I guess I just don’t like religion,” the affidavit shows.
Horton also explained that he expected to execute the plan on his 22nd birthday, adding he had also scoped out places such as the Coastal Church in Parkland, near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, deputies said. The school was subject to a mass shooting in 2018 that killed 17 people.
After searching Horton’s phone, detectives said they found additional sites Horton planned to attack, including a Walmart, another church, his stepmother, his boyfriend and the United Nations building in New York. His phone also outlined how he planned to get between these different places, the affidavit reads.
Another note on Horton’s phone stated he wanted to gather more than 100 others who “are as fanatical as me” to carry out similar killings in other parts of the country, adding up to more than 1,000 murders in total, detectives said.
Detectives added that Horton had listed on his phone how to make a bomb and where to get the ingredients for one.
As a result of the investigation, Horton was arrested on Oct. 5. He faces a charge of written threats to kill or do harm and is held on bond of $1 million.
Horton has a court date scheduled on Nov. 6.
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