Genco allegedly wrote a manifesto, stating he would “slaughter” women “out of hatred, jealousy and revenge…” and referring to death as the “great equalizer,” according to the DOJ.
A 21-year-old man who officials said is a self-proclaimed “Incel” was arrested after he was accused of planning a mass shooting that would target sorority members at an Ohio college, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday.
Tres Genco of Hillsboro, Ohio, has been charged with one count of attempting to commit a hate crime and one count of illegally possessing a machine gun, officials said.
Genco, who identifies himself as an “Incel,” or a “involuntary celibate,” allegedly hatched a plan to shoot women at an unnamed university. According to the indictment filed by the department, Genco kept profiles on a popular Incel website, which he frequently visited, dating back to at least July 2019 through mid-March 2020, according to the DOJ.
Prosecutors said the Incel movement is an online movement made up of predominantly white men who “seek to commit violence in support of their belief that women unjustly deny them sexual or romantic attention to which they believe they are entitled,” The Washington Post reported.
In March, Highland County sheriff’s office said they searched Genco’s residence and found a modified Glock-style 9mm semiautomatic pistol that was hidden in a heating vent in Genco’s bedroom. According to police, the firearm had no manufacturer’s marks or serial number, making it untraceable, federal prosecutors said, CBS News reported.
Inside the trunk of Genco’s vehicle, officers found an arsenal of weapons, including a firearm with a bump stock attached, several loaded magazines, body armor and boxes of ammunition, the DOJ said.
Genco allegedly wrote a manifesto, stating he would “slaughter” women “out of hatred, jealousy and revenge…” and referring to death as the “great equalizer," prosecutors said.
Charging documents alleged that Genco conducted surveillance at the college on Jan. 15, 2020. That same day, he allegedly searched online for topics including “planning a shooting crime” and “when does preparing for a crime become an attempt?”
As part of the investigation, law enforcement agents said they found a note of Genco’s that “indicated that he hoped to “aim big” for a kill count of 3,000 people.” The note also referenced the same date as the attack carried out by Elliot Rodger, who killed six people and injured 14 others outside of sorority house at University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014, according to authorities. He fatally shot himself after the attack, The Washington Post reported.
Prior to his mass attack, Rodger shot a group of college students with orange juice from a water gun, an action that Genco emulated, according to authorities. In one of Genco’s posts, he allegedly detailed spraying people with orange juice in a water gun.
The note also allegedly included that Genco intended to attend military training, according to federal prosecutors. Genco had attended Army Basic Training in Georgia from August through December 2019, but was discharged for entry-level performance and conduct.
If found guilty, Genco could face up to life in prison for the hate crime charge and up to 10 years for the weapons charge, the DOJ reported.
Genco's next detention hearing is Friday, July 23 at 1:30 p.m. by Magistrate Judge Stephanie Bowman, according to the DOJ.
