DHS warns to expect more “acts of violence” by extremists after mass shooting in Uvalde, Buffalo

After a horrific first half of 2022 with a spate of mass shootings, the Department of Homeland Security warned Tuesday that things are likely to only get worse in the coming months as more “acts of violence” by extremists are expected.

The grim prognosis was presented in the latest bulletin of the agency’s National Terrorism Advisory System, which was released just four months after an earlier bulletin warned of an “elevated threat environment”.

Since then, 21 people – 19 of them children – have been gunned down in the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school massacre; 10 black shoppers killed in ‘basic racially motivated hate crime’ at Buffalo, New York grocery store; and one person was killed in an attack on a California church that served the Taiwanese community.

The recent violence could only lead to more such attacks, according to DHS.

“Individuals on online forums that routinely disseminate violent extremist and conspiracy theory-related content domestically have praised the May 2022 mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and encouraged copycat attacks,” the agency warned.

The upcoming midterms, a rush of migrants on the southern border and fears of a possible reversal Roe v. calf all are also fanning the flames of more potential violence, DHS said.

“In the coming months, we expect the threat landscape to become more dynamic as multiple high-profile events could be exploited to justify acts of violence against a range of possible targets,” the agency said, noting that “lone perpetrators and small groups are motivated by a.” set of ideological beliefs and/or personal grievances” pose the greatest threat.

“Public assemblies, religious institutions, schools, racial and religious minorities, government facilities and personnel, critical US infrastructure, the media and perceived ideological opponents” are all at increased risk of attack, the agency said.