A Sarasota man is facing a federal charge after prosecutors say he posted Instagram Story videos showing off firearms, a flamethrower and tactical gear while making threats that referenced hunting Jews and Shabbat services. Duncan MacDonald was charged with interstate transmission of a threat to injure, according to a criminal complaint unsealed this week.
Videos Posted Over a Single Weekend
Federal prosecutors filed the criminal complaint in the Middle District of Florida, and court documents were unsealed on Tuesday, according to ABC News. MacDonald allegedly posted the videos between September 16 and September 17, showing firearms, ammunition, accessories and tactical gear, and the recordings were reportedly made in a hardware room of a residence.
Among the items MacDonald allegedly displayed on camera were a flamethrower, a tactical vest and a high-powered rifle, per the outlet's report. He was also seen near another man holding a pistol, and MacDonald allegedly claimed that man was his nephew, the same reporting notes.
Alleged Threats Referenced Hunting and Shabbat
According to the criminal complaint, MacDonald allegedly said, “we're over here gonna hunt jews,” and also allegedly said, “ping ping bulletproof vests, also locked and loaded.” The FBI investigated the videos as part of its probe into what the complaint describes as threats made in the social media posts, the station's report indicates.
The case came to light after a person who knew MacDonald reported the videos to authorities, and the FBI began its investigation after receiving them, per the same account. That person had captured screenshots of the videos and sent text messages to MacDonald, in which he allegedly referenced Shabbat services — and, according to the complaint, allegedly replied “lmao” at one point during the exchange.
Case Filed in Jacksonville Federal Court
The complaint was filed in connection with the Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse, located in Jacksonville, Florida, the article notes. MacDonald is from Sarasota, and the single federal charge against him — interstate transmission of a threat to injure — was detailed in the unsealed filing.
The case adds to a string of federal actions this year addressing alleged antisemitic threats and hate crimes around the country, though the specifics and outcomes of those cases vary widely. In March, six Pittsburgh-area defendants were charged with hate crime and obstruction offenses tied to a September 2024 attack on a Jewish man, according to the FBI's Pittsburgh field office. In July, the Justice Department announced four federal prosecutions tied to antisemitic threats brought by the Atlanta-based U.S. Attorney's Office, and the department's hate crimes case examples page separately describes a man who pleaded guilty to leaving a threatening voicemail at a synagogue that included death and bombing threats. In May, the FBI reported that a Georgian national tied to an extremist group known as the Maniac Murder Cult was sentenced to 15 years in prison for soliciting hate crimes and planning a mass-casualty attack in New York City, per the bureau's press release.
