Recently, the FBI arrested 20-year-old Eleazareli Maycock of Macomb Township, Michigan, after investigators say he was found in possession of a rifle with its serial number scratched out. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, agents claim the Savage Arms .22 caliber rifle had been altered in a way that was not consistent with normal wear or an accident. The serial number had reportedly been heavily scratched off, which, believe it or not, is still a violation of federal firearm law.
Maycock is accused of possessing a firearm with an altered serial number, a federal charge that carries up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted.
The investigation started in May after the FBI received information about alleged threatening statements connected to a YouTube account. Investigators say an account associated with Maycock made comments praising mass shooters, including an alleged post that said, “i will be the next Brenton Tarrant, trust me.”
A lot of the local reporting focused on the fact that the rifle had the phrase “there is no God” written on it. That phrase immediately drew comparisons to the Oxford High School shooting because Ethan Crumbley used similar wording in a video posted the night before he killed four students and injured seven others in 2021.
Given that the Oxford shooting happened in Michigan, it is understandable why investigators and reporters would make that connection. However, the comparison that stands out more to me in this case is the reference to Brenton Tarrant.
For those who may not remember, Tarrant is the Australian terrorist who carried out the 2019 mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51 people and injuring dozens more. His attack was motivated by a white supremacist ideology and specifically targeted Muslims while they were worshiping.
Tarrant has become somewhat of a favorite among the dregs of the internet who identify themselves as part of the so-called True Crime Community, often referred to as the TCC.
Again, the TCC isn’t a bunch of suburban moms drinking wine from a box while watching reruns of Snapped. Instead, the TCC is made up of mostly teens and young adults who embrace a nihilist worldview while glorifying school shooters and other mass murderers. The TCC also often embraces white supremacist ideals.
Getting back to Tarrant and Maycock, Michigan is home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States, particularly in the Detroit metropolitan area. This makes the references to Tarrant even more concerning. If investigators’ allegations are accurate, it isn’t difficult to assume that Maycock might have been planning some kind of anti-Muslim attack, much like that of the recent San Diego mosque shooting.
But keep in mind that Maycock was arrested on weapons charges and not for plotting an attack. Investigators have said the Maycock’s gun was manufactured outside Michigan, meaning it traveled across state lines and fell under federal jurisdiction. Maycock allegedly told investigators he purchased the rifle new from a local sporting goods store, but federal authorities determined that the gun actually came from an out-of-state gun manufacturer, which necessitated the federal charges.
Maycock is old enough to buy such a rifle locally, so I wonder why he bought the gun from an online dealer. Maybe he has a previous criminal record barring him from doing so.
This story also highlights the ongoing problem with the massive gaps in America’s gun laws. While investigators say this rifle was purchased from a licensed retailer, the broader issue remains that guns can still move through channels with limited oversight through the gun show loophole. When someone is making threats online, praising mass killers, and possessing a gun that has been deliberately altered, the public should not have to wait until after a bloodbath to ask why more wasn’t done to prevent access to the gun in the first place.
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