WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has indicted Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, of Gainesville, on federal hate crime and firearm offenses. Pemberton allegedly attempted a mass shooting on Dec. 23, 2024, targeting Jewish victims because of their race and religion.
According to court records, Pemberton armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle equipped with a silencer. He traveled to the office of a non-profit organization dedicated to lobbying the U.S. government in support of Israel.
If convicted, Pemberton faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on the attempted hate crime count. He also faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 30 years in prison on the firearm count and a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the possession count.
The FBI Jacksonville Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Miami, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Miami Field Office, the Gainesville Police Department, and the Tallahassee Police Department.
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