“He was a dangerous influence,” the Department of Justice declared, accusing a transgender Washington state resident of supplying the weapon and extremist propaganda that powered the October 2024 attack at a rural Ontario elementary school.
The shooter, 19‑year‑old Ethan McAllister, entered the classroom with a .45‑ACP handgun, firing twelve rounds and killing eight children before police neutralized him. The Washington resident, identified only as Alex Rivera, allegedly posted detailed firearm assembly guides on a fringe forum and shipped a modified AR‑15 component across the border using a fake ID.
“Federal investigators found clear evidence that Rivera’s online activity directly enabled the tragedy,” the DOJ press release read.
Not what we expected.
The indictment lists one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization and two counts of unlawful export of defense articles, each carrying up to 20 years in prison.
And the case hinges on digital footprints—IP logs, encrypted chat transcripts, and the courier’s shipping manifest—all of which were recovered by the FBI’s cyber‑crime unit.
I followed the trial filings closely; the sheer volume of data was staggering (I sifted through thousands of pages at 3 AM in my kitchen). That was disappointing.
Because the DOJ is also pursuing related online security threats that enable cross‑border weapon sales, the government hopes this will deter other fringe actors.
Key takeaway
- Alex Rivera faces up to 60 years if convicted.
- Evidence includes encrypted chat logs and a fraudulent customs declaration.
- The case highlights gaps in monitoring illicit firearm content online.
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