A man is accused of illegally purchasing and possessing ammunition. He allegedly planned to carry out a mass shooting.
A Massachusetts man who allegedly threatened to conduct a "shooting spree" is facing charges for illegally purchasing 150 rounds of ammunition without a license.
Brian Schwarztrauber, 54, of Cambridge, was arraigned Wednesday in Cambridge District Court for illegal possession of ammunition and is facing an additional charge of purchasing ammunition without a license. He was ordered held on $25,000 cash bail.
According to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, police were called to the Shriner's Auditorium in Wilmington last Saturday for a report of a disruptive patron at the Northeast Gun Show.
Upon arrival, police allegedly located Schwarztrauber, who was being disruptive and refused to leave the gun show. When police approached him, they said they detected a strong odor of alcohol. While police were speaking with him, they received a notification from Cambridge police concerning statements Schwarztrauber had allegedly made indicating that he was going to use a firearm and ammunition to conduct a "shooting spree."
Due to his level of intoxication, Schwarztrauber was placed into protective custody while police continued to investigate.
While taking him into custody, police learned from a gun show employee that Schwarztrauber had allegedly purchased ammunition without a firearms identification card. Police subsequently located three 50-round boxes of PPU Handgun Line 9mm Luger ammunition in Schwarztrauber's vehicle. He was arrested at that time.
Cambridge police subsequently obtained a search warrant for Schwarztrauber's home in Cambridge, where they located a box of Hornady Valkyrie 224 rifle ammunition.
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"About a week ago, I noticed him saying some things that I found very concerning," said his roommate, Amanda Greenfield, who went to police after she said she heard him talking on the phone about plans to shoot people up.
Greenfield says she overheard Schwarztrauber talking to a man named Chris, saying he was allegedly going to get a rifle and that he wanted a sniper rifle.
No firearms were found in the apartment.
"He's always ... been kind of full of anger and hate for the left, but lately, it's kind of become more crystalized," Greenfield said.
The police report said Schwarztrauber has recently been "talking about mass shootings" and that he would make "racist comments and is very much against the views of the Democratic party."
Schwarztrauber is scheduled to return to court on April 2.
Also charged as part of the investigation was Stephen Fowler, 69, of Guilford, Connecticut, the vendor at the gun show who sold the ammunition to Schwarztrauber.
Fowler was charged with selling ammunition without complying with the requirements relating to firearms identification cards. He was arraigned Tuesday in Woburn District Court and released on $500 cash bail with the condition that he not sell firearms in Massachusetts.
