Joshua Cobb, a former Marine from New Jersey, was arrested and accused of threatening to kill white people and carry out a mass shooting. Cobb, 23, made disturbing posts on social media in December 2022 before he joined the Marine Corps, expressing his desire to cause mayhem on the white community and erase them. He claimed to have begun planning a mass shooting and said he had obtained two of the four guns he planned to use. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey issued a statement detailing the threats made by Cobb.
Cobb joined the Marine Corps and attended basic training in South Carolina from June to October the following year. He was stationed at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center in California in February and was discharged around May 10. Despite being Black, Cobb identified the struggles young men face in America, especially those who come from poverty. He expressed a desire to cause bloodshed and harm to wealthier individuals, particularly what he called “rich-a– white people.”
The FBI was alerted to Cobb’s online threats and interviewed him at the Marine base in California. Cobb admitted that the social media accounts were his and shared that he continued to have homicidal thoughts. He detailed his fantasies of attacking places like gyms or grocery stores frequented by wealthy white people, stating that he wanted to bring pain to those who had not experienced hardship. While no attack was carried out, Cobb was charged with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce.
Federal public defenders listed as representing Cobb did not comment on the case. The Marine Corps did not provide details about Cobb’s discharge, and court documents do not specify the reason. Cobb faces a maximum punishment of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for transmitting a threat. It is unclear what led Cobb to make such violent statements and what factors may have contributed to his mindset.
The case highlights the importance of monitoring and addressing threats made on social media, especially when they involve plans for violence. Authorities took Cobb’s statements seriously and acted swiftly to apprehend him before any harm could be done. The incident also raises questions about mental health support for individuals in the military and how factors like poverty and racial discrimination can impact someone’s state of mind. It serves as a reminder of the potential dangers posed by radicalized individuals and the need for vigilance in preventing violent acts.
