A man from North Carolina has been sentenced to federal prison after making disturbing threats against a preschool. Zachary Newell, 26, expressed a chilling desire to “shoot up” a preschool, claiming it would bring him joy to harm children and watch them suffer. His alarming statements have led to a two-year prison sentence for making online threats, as announced by the Justice Department.

In November of the previous year, Newell pleaded guilty to issuing threats against at least 20 Black preschool students. These threats were communicated through comments on YouTube, where Newell’s language was explicitly racially charged. He targeted not only Black and Hispanic children but also minority internet users, according to prosecutors.

In one of his posts, Newell brazenly declared his intentions, writing, “I’m gonna shoot up a black pre school,” referring to his desire to harm “twenty black babies” and violently dehumanizing them. This was posted in August 2025, a chilling testament to his racially motivated hostility.

Newell escalated his rhetoric in another comment, saying, “Can’t wait to start killing,” and expressing a twisted anticipation for the pain he wished to inflict on Black people. “The amount of pain and suffering black people are about to suffer makes me so happy,” he wrote, further threatening, “I’m gonna be laughing when people like you start getting killed in the streets. LOL. It’s gonna be so fun to make you suffer until your last breath.”

This disturbing case underscores the serious repercussions of racially charged threats and the justice system’s response to such malicious intent. Newell’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance against hate-fueled violence and the importance of safeguarding communities from such threats.

“The amount of pain and suffering black people are about to suffer makes me so happy,” he said. “I’m gonna be laughing when people like you start getting killed in the streets. LOL. It’s gonna be so fun to make you suffer until your last breath.”

On August 31, 2025, deputies with the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office made contact with Newell in Newport and asked him about his social media posts after receiving a “CyberTip” about them. Newell admitted to posting the threats.

“He stated that he had begun watching extremist content on Twitter,” the DOJ explains in a March 18 sentencing memorandum. “He began believing … conspiracy theories he read about on the internet.”

Deputies told Newell that they were contacted by the FBI and advised of the post on YouTube in which Newell claimed he was going to shoot up a preschool and “skin the children.”

Newell admitted to “searching demographics in various cities” but denied having any intent to act on that information, the sentencing memo says. “He claimed his interest was academic,” the document recounts. “Newell admitted to deleting his search history on his computer after being released on state bond; he claimed that he was embarrassed about pornography searches.”

A federal judge sentenced Newell on Wednesday.

“Newell threatened to become the next school shooter — at a preschool no less,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle in the DOJ’s press release announcing Newell’s conviction.

“Targeting babies for murder — simply because of the color of their skin — is disgusting and unacceptable in civilized society,” Boyle blasted. “The FBI quickly responded, preventing a shooting and brought a dangerous man to justice.”