A New Braunfels man, Cameron Darrick Peterson, has been sentenced to a federal prison term for his plans to commit mass murder. The 20-year-old was handed a 78-month sentence following his attempts to acquire firearms and construct explosives to carry out multiple attacks.
As reported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Peterson's sinister activities came to light when he twice tried to purchase a shotgun from a pawn shop, but was denied due to his age and the type of firearm. The first denial occurred in January 2024, and the second, on May 31st of the same year. These denied attempts sparked an investigation that led to the discovery of an altered .22 caliber rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and ammunition in his home by FBI agents.
Peterson's dangerous intentions were further unveiled through his social media activities and jailhouse communications. According to the Justice Department's report, statements on his Instagram account spoke of plans to attack a gas station, and from jail, he instructed a witness to hide or destroy a videotape made to surveil a grocery store, laying the groundwork for a potential future attack.
Searches of Peterson's home unearthed further troubling materials, including a box with aerosol containers and ingredients for manufacturing destructive devices. One of the containers was classified as an improvised explosive device (IED), which could be made operational. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas stressed the gravity of such findings, saying, "This case is demonstrative of how our law enforcement and the systems in place to prevent certain firearm purchases by those under the legal age work in tandem to successfully prevent mass murder events like this defendant had planned," a statement obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Thankfully, due to the collective efforts of local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Peterson's plot was disrupted. Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI San Antonio Field Office emphasized the importance of community vigilance and the role it played in this case, stating, "Americans should be able to live free from fear of becoming a victim of a mass shooter. Thankfully, Peterson’s plans were thwarted when vigilant citizens saw something and said something," as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
Peterson was indicted last June on three counts related to firearms and explosive offenses, to which he pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024, to one count of an attempt to receive a firearm to use to commit a felony. The joint investigation was managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Eric Yuen.
