Police Mugshot Cole Carini.
A 23-year-old Virginia man who blew his own hand off was planning an attack on “hot cheerleaders,” authorities say.
Cole Carini was arrested on June 4 and appeared in U.S. District Court on one count of lying to a federal agent after an FBI search found blood, shrapnel and chunks of human flesh on the walls and ceilings of his house.
A criminal complaint lodged by authorities outlined that Carini told FBI agents the incident occurred when his hands got dragged into the blades as he was mowing the lawn.
The complaint outlines that Carini “went to Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands, Virginia, suffering from an amputated hand, amputated fingers on the opposite hand, and shrapnel wounds to the neck and throat.” It indicates Carini had been interviewed by an officer of the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office and that the sheriff’s office and Virginia State Police notified the FBI the following day. Carini was known to the TCSO and VSP “as being someone who had previously made explosive devices,” according to the complaint.
At his home, police found a minivan with a door handle that “Had a red substance believed to be blood on it … on the bedroom door, on the floor, was a flesh-colored substance that … looked like a piece of human skin.”
Police also found powder at the scene, which, upon testing, was revealed to be triacetone triperoxide, “A substance used in the creation of improvised explosive devices.”
A nearby shed was found to contain several items of interest to police, including “a surveillance system, PVC pipes, pieces of loose wires, empty chemical containers, extension cables, and a pit that appeared to have loose soil,” the complaint details.
A Letter Was Found on the Scene Addressing ‘Hot Cheerleaders’ & Elliot Rodger
Richlands Man Faces Federal Charge of Lying to Federal Agents About Cause of Injuries, Possession of Explosives: Cole Carini of Richlands, Virginia, who appeared at a health clinic with severe injuries to his hands and fingers, is charged with lying to … t.co/kngxlg7haB
A letter in which Carini (writing in the third person) discussed walking through a shopping mall, approaching a stage of hot cheerleaders and “[Making] a statement like Elliot Rodgers” was found crumpled on the ground at the scene, authorities said.
The letter contained the following statements:
He casually walked through the shopping mall, his jacket concealed deadly objects. He was doing it and was assured it must be done. Even if he died, this statement was worth it.
He had … tension that would come and go as he now approached the stage of hot cheerleaders.
He blended in with the audience, he began scanning his surroundings.He noticed his two security guards who were standing side by side. This was an important observation.
Dead seriousness sank in as he realized that he was truly passing the point of no return. He decided I will not back down, I will not be afraid of the consequences. No matter what, I will be heroic, I will make a statement like Elliot Rodgers.
U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen released a media statement on June 5 saying Carini lied about the cause of his injuries and his possession of explosives:
According to court documents, on June 3, 2020, Carini went to a health clinic in Richlands suffering from an amputated hand, amputated fingers on the opposite hand, and shrapnel wounds to the neck and throat. After being interviewed at the hospital by officers, Carini reported that his injuries were caused by a lawn mower accident at his home.
During a search of Carini’s home, agents found the lawn was overgrown and found no other evidence indicating a lawn mower had recently been used. They did, however, find evidence of an explosion, more consistent with the types of injuries Carini had suffered. Agents also discovered significant quantities of what is believed to be Triacetone Triperoxide, an explosive substance used in the creation of improvised explosive devices.
When questioned again, Carini insisted that he was injured when the lawn mower flipped over while he was mowing the grass. Carini also stated he had no explosives in his residence.
The investigation of the case is ongoing and is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Carini’s Inspiration for the Act, Elliot Rodger, Was a Mass-Murderer & Incel Who Killed 6 People
The FBI Says A Guy Blew His Hand Off With A Bomb Possibly Planned For An Attack On “Hot Cheerleaders” – Cole Carini told FBI agents he had a lawnmower accident, but when agents searched his home they found blood and chunks of human flesh splattered on a… t.co/jGmAM3KhXu
Elliot Rodger was a mass-murderer who, at 22 years old, killed six people and injured 14 others at Isla Vista, California, near the University of California in Santa Barbara, before killing himself on May 23, 2014. Rodger has been linked to the Incel — or “Involuntary Celibate” — movement. Rodger penned a 141-page manifesto in which he decreed that “sex should be outlawed. It is the only way to make the world a fair and just place. If I can’t have it, I will destroy it.”
The word “incel” describes a person who “can’t have sex despite wanting to.”
Involuntary celibacy is often associated with the idea that attractive men and women are to blame for the incel’s celibate state. In recent years, at least 53 deaths have been linked to the incel movement, according to the Daily Beast.