A Texas man linked to the “boogaloo” movement who livestreamed threats to kill police has been convicted of attempted murder of a peace officer, a violation of the Texas Hate Crimes Act.
Aaron Caleb Swenson, 38, was found guilty Thursday by a jury in Bowie County, the Texarkana Gazette reported. Closing arguments in Swenson's sentencing hearing were scheduled for Friday, and Swenson faces 99 years or life in prison.
Swenson testified that he was trying to be killed by police in April 2020 when he made the threats and never intended to hurt anyone when he streamed on Facebook Live while driving in Texarkana, Texas, that he was searching for a police officer to kill.
Texarkana Police Officer Jonathan Price testified that he was parked on a city street when he heard Swenson say he had “found his prey” and was turning his vehicle around.
“I realized he was talking about me,” Price said. “I put the car in drive and took off. I didn’t want to get ambushed by myself.”
Swenson was linked to the “boogaloo” movement, a network of gun enthusiasts who often express support for overthrowing the U.S. government, according to police and the Tech Transparency Project, which tracks technology companies.
