Mass Shooting Threat in Lakewood Deemed Not Credible After Viral Manifesto Sparks Investigation

The Lakewood Sheriff’s Station launched an investigation after a Reddit user threatened to go through different parts of the city and shoot minorities.

In this photo illustration, the Reddit social networking website seen displayed on a smartphone.
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Image via Getty/Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket

In this photo illustration, the Reddit social networking website seen displayed on a smartphone.

A Reddit user who goes by u/gastonmcwhinnie put the city of Lakewood, California on high alert after an alarming post where he threatened to shoot “every minority in sight” went viral, TMZ reports.

The Lakewood Sheriff’s Station informed CBS Los Angeles that an investigation was launched, and that they are aware of the post as well as the person behind it. The individual, who identifies himself as Gaston Aaron McWhinnie, provides his home address in the post, along with a few sentences regarding his personal life. 

“I don’t have a job and there’s not much meaning to my life. There is only one thing that I’m certain of; I fucking hate minorities,” he wrote. “It’s weird since I’m black myself. I don’t understand where the hatred is rooted from; it’s just there.” 

Lakewood Council member Todd Rogers issued the following statement via Twitter, calling the threat not credible.

#LASD Lakewood Sheriff's Station detectives have investigated a threat of violence to the #LakewoodCA area. The investigation revealed the post was a possible SWATTING incident. Currently the person named in the post is not a suspect of this investigation. https://t.co/LL1aS1Nt70

— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) May 30, 2021

As NBC Los Angeles points out, the Lakewood Sheriff’s Department released a statement backing Rogers’ claim that “they do NOT believe the threat is credible.” Their investigation may have found evidence of a “possible SWATTING incident against the person named in the post,” meaning that the individual identified isn’t considered to be a suspect.  

The man claiming to have killed Nipsey Hussle is Gaston McWhinnie and they got a pic of his mom’s Facebook going around. She’s a teacher in LA. pic.twitter.com/owwSaTzzmd

— Monthly Rap Contest (@MonthlyRapCntst) April 1, 2019

“I don’t see much of a future for myself, and I have an ongoing case, so I think I’m just going to end with a bang,” McWhinnie continued, adding that he plans on going to different parts of Lakewood with AR-15 and Glock 18, a firearm banned in the United States, today for the sole purpose of shooting every minority in sight.

In addition to killing at least 10 minorities, he also wrote that he planned on targeting City Council members. If McWhinnie’s name sounds familiar, it’s because that was the same name provided by the person who initially took to Instagram Live to claim that he was the one who killed Nipsey Hussle. 

Internet sleuths were able to find a Facebook page that included his other social media handles, all of which appear to be either private or non-existent. His page indicates that he went to Lakewood High School.  

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