A three-year gun violence restraining order was imposed Monday against a Carlsbad man who allegedly discussed committing a mass shooting in online conversations with a teenage girl who fatally shot two people and injured six others at a Wisconsin school last year.
Though criminal charges have not been filed against Alexander Paffendorf, 20, he came under law enforcement scrutiny after federal agents discovered online messages between him and 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who committed a deadly mass shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, in December.
Paffendorf was detained by law enforcement and his home was searched. While no guns were found and no guns were registered to him, an emergency gun violence protective order was obtained late last year.
The new restraining order imposed Monday prevents him from owning or purchasing firearms for the three-year period.
Court documents state that Paffendorf admitted to FBI agents that he “told Rupnow that he would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building.”
At a Monday court hearing, San Diego police Detective Justin Wallace testified that Paffendorf told Rupnow which types of weapons he thought would be best to use in a mass shooting. He also suggested using a “fertilizer bomb” or a bomb that could be remotely activated by a cell phone, Wallace testified.
Paffendorf told Wallace he discussed the subjects with Rupnow in hopes of pursuing a romantic relationship with her, according to the detective.
During Monday’s court hearing, Paffendorf said his discussions with Rupnow were “highly inappropriate,” but also described them as “off the cuff comments.” He denied ever making substantive plans to commit any violent acts or having future plans of owning weapons, though he said the restraining order sought by authorities was disrupting his ability to secure employment.
While a deputy city attorney with the city of Carlsbad sought a two- year restraining order, San Diego Superior Court Judge Blair Soper said a three- year order was warranted because “this case is just too severe.”
Soper said the in-depth discussions of firearms and explosives contained in the messages showed a significant amount of research into weaponry was likely conducted. The judge also noted that the conversations with Rupnow occurred very recently, which he said was “way too soon to determine that you are authorized to own guns any time soon.”
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