Man uses Instagram to threaten relatives of Parkland shooting, FBI says

FBI: Man confesses to threatening Parkland shooting victims without remorse

PARKLAND, Fla. ā€“ A California man is accused of usingĀ Instagram to harass and intimidate some of the relatives and friends of the 17 people killed in the Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

The FBI identified the Instagram user asĀ Brandon Fleury, who is accused ofĀ cheering the deaths of their loved ones, asking them to cry and threatening to kidnap someone.Ā 

Fleury confessed on Jan. 16 to targeting "activists" asĀ a "troll" to gain popularity, adding thatĀ he was a fan of serial killer Ted Bundy, according to a criminal complaintĀ filed in the Southern District of Florida. Authorities said he showed no remorse over his actions.Ā 

Prosecutors saidĀ Fleury used at least fiveĀ different Instagram accounts and usernames to attack his victims from Dec. 22 to Jan. 11.

According to Special Agent Cameron McDowell, all of the accounts had the same IP address, which was assigned to the homeĀ in Santa Ana, California, where Fleury lives with his father,Ā Patrick Fleury, and his brother.Ā 

Brandon Fleury is charged withĀ using an interactive computer service and electronic communication system of interstate commerce to engage in a course of conduct that caused, attempted to cause or would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress and transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to kidnap a person.Ā 


About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.