Man sentenced for federal hate crime after attempting anti-LGBTQ mass shooting
A Montana man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for attempting to shoot victims with the intent to rid his town of LGBTQ residents, the Justice Department announced in a press release Wednesday.
After a four day trial in February, a jury convicted the man, John Russell Howald, of firing an AK-style rifle into the home of a woman who was known to be a lesbian, and “then walking further into town intending to target others he perceived to be lesbian, queer, and gay.” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “This defendant is being held accountable for his horrific attempted mass shooting against the LGBTQI+ community in a Montana town.” The defendant “set out to rid the town of all LGBTQI+ members by killing them,” Clarke said. “He shot into the home of a lesbian resident, nearly killing her, with the hope of inspiring similar attacks around the country.” Last week, the White House announced plans to better combat anti-LGBTQ violence through a community safety partnership administered by the Justice Department along with the U.S.
Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services. White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden told reporters the partnership will help LGBTQ community centers “prepare for the worst” — including “bomb threats, active shooters, and cybersecurity threats — while also protecting “healthcare providers who serve the community by working with doctors and medical associations.” “This Pride month,” DOJ wrote in the press release about Howald, “we affirm our commitment to using the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act to hold perpetrators of hate-fueled violence targeting the LGBTQI+ community
