Man accused of threatening FSU mass shooting to be detained

UPDATE: - A federal magistrate judge has ordered Sean Michael Albert to remain behind bars until his trial.

Albert is accused of posting a picture of an AR-15-style rifle and threatening to kill 100 gay people at Florida State University, federal court records say. The university was not mentioned by name, but according to the criminal complaint, the post included FSU’s main address and said, “Cya there!”

Newly posted federal court records show Albert appeared before a judge in Orlando Wednesday afternoon.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd ordered Albert to be detained by U.S. Marshals until his trial.

“No condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community,” the judge’s order said.

Federal court records do not yet list any future court dates.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - A Winter Park man accused of threatening a mass shooting at FSU is now facing federal charges.

According to Federal court records, 19-year-old Sean Michael Albert was arrested on Tuesday for interstate communication of a threat to injure the person of another.

The criminal complaint states a threat against gay people was posted on the social media platform, Discord, on December 13th by someone with the username “BloodStainedSand#0088″.

A screenshot included in the complaint showed an AR-15 style rifle and included an FSU campus address with the date and time of 1 p.m. Dec. 17 and the text “100 (expletive) Will die, Cya there!”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was tipped off about the post within days and tracked the IP address and Discord user account information to Albert, alleged the complaint.

FBI agents state Albert flew to Washington, D.C. on Dec. 16 and that they confronted him after he returned to Florida and landed at the Orlando airport on New Year’s Day. Federal court records said Albert admitted to making the post on Discord but claimed it was meant to be “a joke.” According to federal court records, he told agents he picked the FSU address “because it would get the most reaction.”

Albert allegedly told investigators that the image of the firearm he used in the post was copied from Reddit.

The criminal complaint also referenced a previous interview with the FBI in 2021 and prior statements about gay, black and Jewish people.

Federal agents stated their investigation revealed Albert had a history of violence and a pattern of concerning behavior.

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