Federal prosecutors have unsealed the indictment of a man authorities say wanted to harm passengers on an Amtrak train.
Prosecutors say on October 22nd, 26 year old Taylor Wilson, of Missouri, pulled an emergency brake on a train in rural Nebraska "with the intent to harm those aboard." Wilson is now facing federal terrorism charges because of the incident.
An FBI affidavit stated that an Amtrak conductor contacted 911 around 2:00 because a passenger "breached a secure area of the train and triggered an emergency stop control panel."
A Furnas County deputy responded to the scene about an hour after the call to find Amtrak workers restraining Wilson. A boarding pass showed that Wilson was travelling from Sacramento, California to Missouri. Authorities say he had a handgun on him at the time of the incident. A backpack belonging to Wilson was searched, and three additional speed loaders, a box of .38 ammunition, a hammer and a knife were found.
During the course of the investigation, the FBI discovered a video on Wilson's phone of a white supremacist banner being placed on a highway overpass along with files of The Anarchist Cookbook and The Ultimate Sniper. In the affidavit, FBI special agent Monte Czaplewski said "The described documents are often possessed and utilized by individuals and groups attempting or planning to commit criminal acts or acts of terrorism or violence."
In a witness interview, a former roommate said Wilson was a member of alt-right and neo-Nazi groups he "found while researching white supremacy forums online." The witness also said Wilson was interested in "killing black people," and had even traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia to join in a neo-Nazi rally there.
A search of Wilson's home turned up hundreds of rounds of ammunition and tactical gear. Wilson's father also turned over fifteen handguns and rifles, with the ATF saying two of those weapons could violate federal law.