Manlius Police arrest 20-year-old who allegedly made mass shooting threat at Tops

MANLIUS, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) -- The Town of Manlius Police arrested a 20-year-old after he allegedly threatened a mass shooting at the Village of Manlius Tops Friendly Markets on social media.

On Saturday, March 11, at 1:39 p.m., police started to investigate a series of Discord posts allegedly made by Zachary Mullen of Jamesville, a 20-year-old male user threatening a mass shooting at the Tops.

Police then executed a search warrant on Mullen's house where he was arrested for Making a Terroristic Threat, a class D Felony, and a search of his house was conducted where guns and ammunition were located.

An Extreme Risk Order of Protection (ERPO) was sought, granted, and issued to the suspect, prohibiting him from owning or possessing any guns. Manlius Police have seized all his weapons. They said there is no threat to the community.

According to court documents, Mullen made the following statements on Discord:

• "Location: Tops, Manlius Date: Next Week Expected Kills 1-2."
• "Tops in Manlius planned date Monday or Friday Time: around 1 to 2 PM."
• "So I can get a job and use my Dads Shotgun one last time. That's a good way of grieving right…"
• "Debating on weather to do a mass murder or becoming a legitimate racist and buying a KKK outfit One of them would be good."

The direct threats were posted by Mullen's Discord account under the username "ZaY#1226." Mullen's threats were reported to the Manlius Police Department by two witnesses who were in the group chat who told police that, "the reported that the user's name is Zachary who is 20 years old, lives in the Manlius area, and his father died very recently."

The court documents state that the police investigation yielded the suspect to be Zachary J. Mullen who's father passed away on March 9, 2023, and stated his father was an avid hunter and is believed to have owned a shotgun or multiple.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Mullen has been arraigned. He has since been released. When asked for comment Fitzpatrick said he is "Very concerned because of the selection of the site and because of the racial threats he made."

DA Fitzpatrick also told NewsChannel 9 that Mullen's mother was cooperative and all the guns at their house were seized.

"I hope the public is not completely alarmed or has some assurance that they’re safe because there are guns that we know he had access to but there’s always the outside possibility they may have access to other guns but we hope that’s not going to be the case," said Fitzpatrick. "He’ll be monitored, his whereabouts will be known to the probation department and he’ll have to make periodic reports."