Federal agents arrested 19-year-old Eric Constantine Byrd in Raleigh after court documents say he posted photos with guns and made explicit threats toward Black, Hispanic and gay people. Authorities allege Byrd planned to target at least one person he referenced in social media posts and had purchased weapons along with a large amount of ammunition, according to the complaint. The arrest followed a federal review of his Instagram activity, the documents state.
What investigators allege
According to The News & Observer, the complaint says Byrd posted at least 11 Instagram posts that contained neo-Nazi ideology and threats against Black, Hispanic and gay people. Investigators highlight a Feb. 7 post in which Byrd allegedly asked whether anyone knew "a Black man who graduated from Leesville Road High School in 2025" — a message he later admitted referenced a potential victim, the court papers say. Meta provided screenshots of several posts to federal officials, which the complaint says prompted the Raleigh FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force to open a probe.
Weapons, posts and alleged planning
The complaint alleges Byrd appeared in multiple posts holding firearms, including one image where he pointed a gun directly at the camera. Agents say they later found a firearm inside a blue box in his bedroom closet. In one passage quoted in the complaint, Byrd wrote, "when i die i'm not gonna od that's for pussies. i will put a bullet in my head or i get killed by someone else," as reported by The News & Observer. Investigators also say Byrd bought an AK-47 in December (which he later sold after his parents grew suspicious) and purchased 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition on Feb. 11.
Family, mental health and timeline
Court documents say Byrd's parents told investigators he lived at home, sometimes saw a therapist and had been prescribed medication that he did not take. Raleigh police were called to the family's home in January after his parents reported he had "lost his mind" when they tried to stop him from buying something. Federal agents say colleagues in Washington, D.C., were alerted after Meta provided the posts, and that exchange led to the Raleigh inquiry.
Legal implications
Byrd is charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) that can carry up to five years in prison if he is convicted. According to Cornell Law School, 18 U.S.C. § 875 covers threats transmitted across state lines and has been applied in cases tied to social media posts. The complaint is an allegation, and Byrd is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Context: a wider federal focus
Federal authorities in North Carolina have recently stepped up monitoring of violent rhetoric online. In January, the FBI announced that agents had stopped an ISIS-inspired New Year's Eve plot in the Charlotte area, ABC11 reported. Prosecutors and federal partners say cases like Byrd's fit into broader efforts to interrupt potential threats before they turn into real-world violence.
The case remains under federal investigation and court proceedings are pending. Byrd is in custody and will face charges in federal court, according to the complaint.
