(Photo: Citizen user shows police officers in the vicinity of 61-83 Gates Ave.)
Jan. 19, 2021 By Christina Santucci
A Ridgewood man, who went by “X-Ray Ultra” online, was arrested by federal officials after he allegedly called for public executions of Congress members including Queens Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to a criminal complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court.
In the complaint, federal authorities accused Brendan Hunt, 37, of threatening — or inciting others — to murder members of Congress in social media posts made between Dec. 6 and Jan. 12.
Along with Ocasio-Cortez, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer were listed by name, according to the court document. The complaint describes four postings on various social media channels, including Facebook and Parler, that federal officials believe were made by Hunt.
“Trump, we want actual revenge on democrats. Meaning, we want you to hold a public execution of pelosi aoc schumer etc. And if you dont do it, the citizenry will. We’re not voting in another rigged election. Start up the firing squads, mow down these commies, and lets take america back!,” an early December Facebook post read, according to the court document.
Another December post, made in response to a news story about a Staten Island resident who allegedly used his vehicle to run over a law enforcement officer, praised violence against police and other officials who enforced pandemic and “lockdown” restrictions and referred to lawmakers including “AOC” as “high value” targets, the court document states.
Authorities were executing a search warrant at Hunt’s apartment on Gates Avenue Tuesday, and the Ridgewood man had not been at the January 6 riot at the Capitol, according to NBC.
Hunt allegedly posted to a video-sharing site and Parler earlier this month.
Two days after violent rioters stormed the Capitol building in Washington D.C., Hunt allegedly posted a video titled “KILL YOUR SENATORS,” which included the phrase, “Slaughter them all,” in the summary, the complaint states. In the 88-second video, Hunt allegedly encouraged violence at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, saying “so what you need to do is take up arms, get to D.C., probably the inauguration,” according to the court document.
“If anybody has a gun, give me it, I’ll go there myself and shoot them and kill them,” Hunt allegedly said during the video, according to the complaint.
On Jan. 12, Hunt allegedly responded to a series of messages on Parler, writing “lets go, jan 20, bring your guns,” the court document states.
Hunt, who was described in the complaint as a part-time actor and filmmaker and full-time employee of the New York State Office of Court Administration, works as an assistant court analyst in the state’s Attorney Registration Unit, and has been suspended without pay pending further administrative action, the court confirmed.
He is expected to appear in federal court in Brooklyn later today.
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