RantCrush Top 5: August 15, 2017

The FBI arrested an Oklahoma man who was plotting to set off a car bomb outside a bank in downtown Oklahoma City, officials said yesterday. Twenty-three-year-old Jerry Drake Varnell had reportedly been planning the deed for months, but thanks to an undercover investigation led by the FBI’s joint terrorism task force, Varnell was arrested before perpetrating his crime.

Varnell believes in an anti-government ideology and said he was inspired by the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. That attack targeted the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building–the bank Varnell was targeting is only about half a mile away.

Meanwhile: DOJ just announced that they arrested Jerry Drake Varnell on Saturday for attempting to set off a car bomb in Oklahoma City pic.twitter.com/xrVIbiIEz7

— Kia Makarechi (@Kia_Mak) August 14, 2017

According to law enforcement, Varnell was “out for blood.” He claimed he was going after government officials. He had also stocked a bunker by his home with supplies in case the world ended. People on social media pointed out that this is a clear case of terrorism, but that it hasn’t gained nearly as much attention as it would if the perpetrator was a person of color. People also called on President Trump to condemn the would-be-attacker, which at this point seems unlikely.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.