Inset: Michael Maguire (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The neighborhood in Florida where Michael Maguire lives and was arrested for allegedly making threats (Google Maps).
A Florida man has been taken into custody after allegedly making racially charged and terroristic threats online, proclaiming himself a “protector of white people” and labeling himself a “violent felon” with animosity toward critics of former President Donald Trump and journalists, according to law enforcement.
Michael Maguire, age 64, reportedly took to YouTube to threaten CNN journalists, claiming he would “86 on sight,” a term meaning to eliminate, and described them as “active shooters,” as detailed in an arrest affidavit from Volusia County, shared with Law&Crime on Monday.
In a separate post dated November 1, Maguire allegedly declared on YouTube, “I’m here to protect the white people,” further asserting, “I’m not a keyboard warrior, (I’m) a violent felon and inmate that’s now free.”
Authorities in Volusia County were alerted to Maguire’s alleged online threats, leading to his arrest on November 18 for issuing written threats to harm or kill. A subsequent charge of terrorism was added after his rearrest on the following Thursday.
The arrest documentation reveals Maguire’s purported desire to decapitate individuals as trophies and his threats directed at Jewish and Muslim communities.
Volusia County deputies collaborated with the FBI National Threat Operations Section to locate and apprehend Maguire, who has a history of serving time for attempted murder. They tracked him down using his IP address. Maguire is accused of targeting CNN and BBC journalists in multiple posts, declaring them adversaries of the United States and the former president. Notably, Trump has previously initiated legal action against CNN, a lawsuit that was eventually dismissed, and has recently voiced intentions to sue the BBC.
“As an American, I perceive the actions of the BBC as an act of war against the president and against the people of the United States of America,” Maguire said, according to his arrest affidavit. “You are a foreign enemy. Any BBC reporter I run across in the United States will be treated as an enemy combatant…… you fill in the rest, but I’m out for blood you motherf—ers.”
Describing his criminal past, Maguire allegedly wrote, “Caught those two attempted murder charges for shooting a confidential informant and his mother-in-law.” His girlfriend confirmed to authorities that he was a convicted felon who did time for shooting an informant in Seminole County.
Online records show that Maguire was released from prison in 2019 after serving a 10-year sentence for attempted first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
Describing himself as a “Walmart vigilante,” Maguire wrote on Nov. 2 that he didn’t want to “be nice anymore” toward people of color, according to his arrest affidavit.
“F— everybody,” Maguire allegedly said. “You’re gonna see some … John Wick s—.”
On Nov. 15, Maguire allegedly wrote, “The purge is finally here. … Blood, and guts and gore everywhere.”
After being arrested in November, police said Maguire was informed that his YouTube comments “concerned” some people. He told cops, “They should be concerned,” according to the affidavit. He allegedly referred to his statements as “political speech” and accused the officers arresting him of “trying to kill President Trump.”
Maguire was being held Monday without bail and is due in court for his arraignment on Dec. 11, according to online records.
