Montana Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Targeting LGBTQ Townspeople in Planned Mass Shooting

John Russell Howald fired an assault rifle into a lesbian woman's home and threatened others as part of a self-described "mission" to rid his town of LGBTQ community members.
Howald was armed with multiple firearms and high-capacity magazines and aimed to carry out a mass shooting targeting LGBTQ people in his town of Basin, Montana.
Townspeople were able to stall Howald, preventing loss of life, until law enforcement arrived and arrested him.
Howald expressed hope that his planned attack would inspire similar violence against LGBTQ people across the country.
Howald had previously served two years in prison for aggravated animal cruelty.