Bad Bunny concert targeted by mass shooter thwarted in Atlanta

An Arizona gun dealer who planned to incite a race war before the 2024 election was charged Tuesday with gun trafficking, transferring a firearm for use in a crime of hatred and possession of an unregistered firearm after being prevented from carrying out mass action. filming at the Bad Bunny concert in Atlanta last month.

Mark Adams Prieto was turned in by an undercover agent to whom he sold weapons between January and May of this year, the Arizona District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release Tuesday. Law enforcement arrested Prieto on May 14 as he drove through Arizona toward New Mexico. He “was in possession of seven firearms and was taken into federal custody. Law enforcement then executed a search warrant at his home in Prescott,” the release states. Authorities found additional weapons during the search.

Prieto allegedly intended to carry out the mass shooting at a Bad Bunny concert in Atlanta. The artist performed at State Farm Arena on May 14-15.

The investigation into the 58-year-old reportedly began in October after an anonymous source told FBI Phoenix that Prieto said he hoped to start a “race war.” The source, who had several conversations with Prieto over the past three years, added that Prieto planned to target black, Jewish and Muslim Americans.

The source said: “Prieto believes martial law will be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting is expected to occur before then,” NBC News reported.

“The reason I say Atlanta. Why, why is Georgia so upset now? Prieto asked the source and the undercover agent at a Jan. 21 gun show. “When I was growing up, it was one of the most conservative states in the country. Why not now? Because as crime got worse in Los Angeles and St. Louis and all these other cities, all the (N-words) left those (places) and moved to Atlanta. That’s why it’s not so great anymore. And they’ve been there for a few years, several years.

The outlet also reported that Prieto regularly sold guns from his personal collection in cash-only transactions or exchanges to avoid the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

If convicted of his charges, Prieto faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, for each charge.