Gainesville man charged with planning to attack AIPAC office in Florida

(JNS) — In a New Year’s Eve statement, U.S. President Joe Biden proclaimed January to be National Stalking Awareness Month. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Justice Department charged Forrest Kendall Pemberton of Alachua, Fla., with a count of stalking for allegedly planning to attack an AIPAC office in Florida.

Family members told the FBI that Pemberton, who went missing from his Gainesville, Fla., home apparently with multiple firearms, appeared to have left a note stating that he would “close the loop,” “stoke the flames” and say “goodbye” to his relatives, per an affidavit filed on Dec. 30, 2024, in support of a criminal complaint.

Pemberton’s family also told law enforcement that he had recently searched on his computer for the address of an organization with a Plantation, Fla., location which the affidavit states “according to its website, advocates and lobbies for ‘pro-Israel policies that strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship.’” (That exact language appears on AIPAC’s website.)

Relatives told the FBI that Pemberton had withdrawn money from four ATMs in Plantation on Dec. 23 and that he had searched for an address on Pine Island Road in Plantation. The FBI’s investigation revealed that the address “is the former office address” for the pro-Israel organization. It also found that Pemberton was logged into a computer at a hotel less than two miles from that site.

On Dec. 25, law enforcement arrested Pemberton after observing him get into a rideshare vehicle “with an apparent soft rifle case,” per the affidavit. He gave the law enforcement officials three guns—an AR-15 rifle, a Luger pistol and a Galil rifle—and ammunition for the latter two, the affidavit added. (The third weapon is Israeli-made.)

Per the affidavit, Pemberton told law enforcement in a recorded interview that he visited the site, which he thought to be the pro-Israel group’s office, to “scout” it, so he could later return with concealed weapons.

“When asked if Pemberton would commit a mass casualty event and then take his own life, Pemberton stated, ‘Um, I really don’t know if I was gonna end it with my life or not. I hadn’t gotten that far yet,’” per the affidavit. “‘It entirely depended if I ended up getting caught or not. If caught, that was a way out.’”

He allegedly told law enforcement that he aimed to target the pro-Israel group due to its “political influence,” and that he didn’t like the “status quo” and wanted to “see if I could make a change.” He also told law enforcement that he had ultimately decided not to attack the organization. “It would have been a one-way ticket, in Plantation, I decided I wasn’t ready,” he said, per the affidavit. “I gave up.” 

“We take these threats very seriously and we are working closely with law enforcement concerning this matter,” an AIPAC spokesman told JNS. 

“We will not be deterred by extremists in pursuing our mission to strengthen the relationship with America’s valued ally, Israel,” the spokesman added. “We are deeply appreciative of the FBI’s work to stop this individual.”

Update: the man has been identified as Forrest Kendall Pemberton of Alachua, FL. 

He was arrested with an AR15 rifle, a Luger pistol & ammunition and told authorities he visited AIPAC to “scout” the location to come back later, armed.

He also stated he chose AIPAC because of… https://t.co/8m74WtUT4M pic.twitter.com/PMgGCtUotp

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 1, 2025