Volusia County man accused of mass shooting threat

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - The Volusia County Sheriff’s office says a Daytona Beach man was arrested for making mass shooting threats online. 

Leo Arong Jr. was arrested Thursday and charged with written threats to kill or harm in a mass shooting or act of terrorism.  Investigators say the 45-year-old made the threats on a PBS News Hour live chat on YouTube on Sept. 3. 

“He rails about the El Paso shooter… that he’s uglier than the El Paso shooter. Girls don’t like him and he’s going to become a mass shooter of Americans,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. “He was chatting from Daytona Beach but the chat was in northern California. The FBI got involved.”

Deputies say Arong also wrote, “I hate jews because I am an inbred LOSER. We have to kill jews in order for LOSERS like me to feel relevant. Thank you,” and  “I don’t want Red Flag laws passed because the FBI might raid my residence and confiscate the weapons I will use to kill other Americans. Thank you.”

When deputies confronted him at his apartment, they say he first denied the posts. They say he then told them he was spoofing another person in the chat.

“He told us he was an army veteran suffering from PTSD, but we don’t have a crystal ball,” Chitwood said. “Unfortunately, when you post those things on social media in today’s day and age – you’re going to bring federal, state and local law enforcement to your door.”

Volusia County has investigated several online mass shooting threats lately.

“It’s great that we’re doing all this and were on top of it. What scares me is there’s somebody in their garage right now somewhere who’s not on social media who’s planning the next attack,” Chitwood said.

Arong was booked into the Volusia County Jail. Deputies say they did not find any guns in his possession.