A recently discharged U.S. Marine was arrested on Friday for allegedly threatening on social media to “target white people” and planning mass shootings.
A Monday press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey noted that 23-year-old Joshua Cobb, a resident of Trenton, New Jersey, was arrested on Friday and charged for “transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce.”
The charge against the former U.S. Marine comes after the 23-year-old reportedly posted online that he wanted to “progress into a serial killer” and “cause mayhem on the White community,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Court documents show that Cobb had researched potential locations for a mass shooting, including an Aldi grocery store and a local gym. Cobb also allegedly had notes on his phone regarding how to smuggle weapons into New Jersey.
Announcing Cobb’s arrest, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said Cobb joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2023, started basic training last June, and was stationed in California prior to being discharged from the military.
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According to Monday’s press release, Cobb posted a statement on social media on December 17, 2022, announcing that he had started to prepare for an “attack.”
“The reason I specifically want to target white people is because, as a black male, they will NEVER understand my struggles,” Cobb allegedly wrote. “Same way I will never understand their struggles, but I don’t care to. I want to erase them. All of them really, but in this case as many as I possibly can. As of today I have officially began planning my attack.”
While Cobb allegedly claimed that his attack would take place in New Jersey in 2023, he said he had not settled on an “exact date” but intended to carry out the attack close to a holiday that was important to white people.
“I have a location in mind already which I have frequented for the past year and I am certain nobody there is armed to be able to stop me from spraying them to the ground,” Cobb continued in his post. “I have already acquired 2 of the 4 firearms I plan to use for my attack, and I also know my entry and exit points already after the mayhem.”
The U.S. Attorney’s office also shared other posts by Cobb from April and May of 2023 that featured the former Marine expressing his desire to become a serial killer.
“Tbh I hope I do progress into a serial killer because I f-cking hate life man… But one day everyone will suffer,” Cobb allegedly wrote. “I promise I will make everyone feel my f-cking pain. My deep, sincere, raw, & sharp pain.”
If convicted, Cobb could face a $250,000 fine and up to five years in prison.
