Local man ‘set up for war’ accused of threatening mass shootings

LOXAHATHCEE, Fla. — A Loxahatchee man faces multiple charges, including threatening a mass shooting and impersonating law enforcement, deputies said.

Damien Allen, 22, was arrested Tuesday night after the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said he was potentially planning an attack and had engaged in threatening communications through online platforms.

WATCH BELOW: PBSO says mass shooting suspect wanted to conduct ‘guerrilla warfare’

Arrest of suspect planning mass shootings, ‘saved a lot of lives’

“This is a tremendous case,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. “The investigators that worked this case, there’s no doubt in my mind they have stopped a mass shooting that was going to happen.”

According to a probable cause affidavit, the sheriff’s office was notified of an FBI Guardian Tip, similar to a Crime Stoppers tip, that Allen “was possibly planning (an) attack.”

Investigators said Allen used various online platforms, including TikTok, Instagram and Discord, to post threats about committing a mass shooting.

The affidavit said Allen previously talked to Natalie Rupnow, 15, who later died after conducting a mass shooting at a school in Madison, Wisconsin, on Dec. 17, 2024.

During their investigation of Allen, the arrest report said he posted a video on Instagram on Oct. 8, 2022, with him inside a Ford Crown Victoria, which is commonly used by law enforcement. Deputies said the video started with Allen inside the driver’s seat of the vehicle and a computer that looked like a Palm Beach County sheriff’s laptop.

“After Allen shows the laptop, he shows a rifle rack behind the seat with a rifle in the vehicle,” the affidavit said.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

The arrest report said that Rupnow and Allen communicated on TikTok in May 2024, where they talked about a variety of weapons, ammunition, bulletproof vests, smoke grenades and AR500 steel plates. The report said they communicated online through at least Sep. 26, 2024.

“My loadout is set up for war,” Allen said on May 23, 2024, according to the affidavit. “I got 7 places I would, Strike the police dept. also, Gorilla warfare tactics, Ambushing and blitz.”

The report said that based on his communication with Rupnow, it was clear that Allen “unequivocally” made written threats to conduct a mass shooting at seven different locations.

“He is armed with at least two firearms, which he can use to shoot 9mm bullets from, and he has at least 118 9mm bullets (5 pistol magazines, which hold 17 9mm bullets and another magazine, which holds 33 9mm bullets).

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

The report also said that Allen and Rupnow communicated on June 7, 2024, with Allen stating, “We go down together.”

Rupnow replied, “Correct,” and “I love you.”

The affidavit said at first they thought, based on his postings, that Allen was a Palm Beach County deputy because he was dressed “in a full class B PBSO uniform.” However, they later determined that Allen was not a PBSO deputy.

The report also said that he posted videos of himself wearing a silver PBSO star badge and the same gun belt, gun, Taser and holsters that PBSO deputies wear.

The sheriff’s office said they are still investigating to see how he obtained the law enforcement gear.

“This guy was ready to (conduct a mass shooting), had all the equipment, had the propensity to do it,” Bradshaw said. “It was just a matter of what day was going to set him off to go do it.”

Bradshaw said Allen’s arrest “no doubt in my mind saved a lot of lives.”

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Randy Foley said they believe Allen wanted to not only conduct “mass violence” in Florida and Palm Beach County but also in other parts of the U.S. Investigators believe churches and a police department were among the targets, but “the other ones were racially motivated.”

“His main desire was to harm law enforcement and attack a law enforcement facility,” Foley said. “It appears that he has a philosophy of violence against civilians and law enforcement equally, but specifically spoke about law enforcement organizations to strike.”

Foley said a search warrant was executed at Allen’s house in Loxahatchee on Tuesday, where he resided with other family members.

The sheriff’s office said some of the items recovered from his home included:

• 18 firearms that included assault rifles and handguns
• 1 Taser
• Over 12,000 rounds of ammunition
• 15 Airsoft guns
• Two-way radio
• Law enforcement-issued police laptop
• An assortment of law enforcement, military, FBI, Army Ranger and Marine uniforms
• Ballistic vest and helmets
• Law enforcement credentials
• Active-duty Army credentials
• FBI credentials
• Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office badges
• 3-D printed body camera
• Self-made Army-training certificate
• Material with Nazi insignia

Foley said they are still working to determine if Allen legally obtained the weapons.
Bradshaw praised the public for the tip that helped law enforcement arrest Allen.

“This is a dangerous, dangerous individual,” Bradshaw said. “This is one of the best arrests that I’ve seen in a long time that has prevented people from dying.”

Allen, who did not have a previous arrest record, is being held at the Palm Beach County jail without bond. They said he has been cooperating with investigators.