Arizona Man Arrested for Plotting Mass Shooting at Bad Bunny Concert to Incite Race War

Mark Adams Prieto, 58, allegedly planned to shoot up a Bad Bunny concert in Atlanta to 'incite a race war'

Mark Adams Prieto, 58, of Prescott, Arizona, was arrested last month in New Mexico while traveling on an interstate, accused of planning a mass shooting at a Bad Bunny concert in Atlanta to incite a race war. Prieto allegedly collaborated with an undercover FBI agent and an informant, targeting Atlanta for its large Black population and planning to leave Confederate flags at the scene.

According to an affidavit, Prieto's plot aimed to carry out the attack at the State Farm Arena on May 14 and 15, coinciding with Bad Bunny's performances. Prieto reportedly intended to shout racial slurs during the attack, expressing a desire to start a race war and declaring that "every whitey will be the enemy across the whole country."

He unknowingly planned the mass shooting with an undercover FBI agent and his informant

The FBI began investigating Prieto in late 2023 after an informant, who had heard Prieto make alarming comments at gun shows, reported him. Prieto allegedly sought to recruit others for his attack, expressing a desire to target Black people, Jews, and Muslims. He believed martial law would soon follow the 2024 presidential election and wanted to incite a race war beforehand.

Prieto met the undercover agent in January 2024 at a gun show in Prescott, where he discussed his plans and sold firearms. He reportedly bemoaned Atlanta's large Black population, blaming it for the city's changes. Over the following months, Prieto detailed his attack plans, including storing guns in Atlanta before the concert and advising on how to remove firearm residue.

Prieto allegedly sold two automatic rifles to the undercover agent, emphasizing the need for a high death toll and advising to show "no mercy." He described the proposed victims as "monsters."

Prieto allegedly stressed the need for a large death toll at the concert

On May 14, Prieto was arrested while traveling with five firearms in his vehicle. A subsequent raid on his Arizona home uncovered more firearms, including an unregistered short-barreled rifle. During questioning, Prieto admitted to selling an AR-15 to the FBI agent and discussing the concert attack but claimed he was traveling to visit his mother in Florida at the time of his arrest.

Prieto now faces federal charges of firearm trafficking, transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison for each charge of firearms trafficking and transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, along with an additional 10 years for possessing an unregistered firearm. He could also be fined up to $250,000 for each charge. Prieto is currently in custody with the US Marshals Service awaiting transport back to Arizona.