Alleged plot to shoot Atlanta concert to incite race war

Mark Adams Prieto58-year-old Arizona native was indicted for planning a mass shooting at a Bad bunny concert in Atlanta to incite a race war. Federal prosecutors say Prieto planned to target black spectators using semi-automatic rifles obtained through cash transactions to avoid detection.

The plot was discovered when a recruited participant informed the FBI, leading to a months-long investigation. Prieto also attempted to recruit an undercover agent. He believes a mass shooting should occur before martial law is implemented after the 2024 election.

“Prieto believes martial law will be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting is expected to occur before then,” the source at the FBI office in Phoenix said, adding that Prieto was “prepared to kill a group of people”.

Prieto chose Atlanta because of its large black population, which he blamed for rising crime. He planned the attack for mid-May, June or July, including a Bad Bunny concert, advising the conspirators to wear hoodies to blend in.

He targeted a rap concert, believing it would attract a large black audience, and advised his co-conspirators to wear hoodies to blend in. Prieto planned to leave Confederate flags at the scene and shout “KKK all the way” and “no mercy, no quarter.”

Prieto went so far as to plan to hide weapons near the concert and considered several dates in mid-May, June or July, including one where Bad Bunny was scheduled to perform. Although he told the undercover agent in April that he wanted to delay the attack, Prieto continued planning until his May 14 arrest.

He was arrested on May 14 and admitted to discussing the plot, but claimed he had no intention of following through with it. Prieto faces charges of possession of an unregistered firearm, firearm trafficking and transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, which could result in up to 40 years in prison if convicted.