The FBI recently arrested Elizabeth Ballesteros West, a transgender female living in Oregon previously named Francisco Frank Paramo, who the agency believes was planning to carry out a mass shooting. The story highlights issues related to extremism, mental health, and the myriad challenges law enforcement faces when trying to preempt violent acts.

An affidavit written by FBI Special Agent Damara Gonzalez provides a detailed account of the investigation that led to West’s arrest and weaves an intricate tale of a troubled individual who could have carried out a brutal atrocity if he had not been apprehended by the authorities.

The affidavit indicates that the Bureau was informed by an anonymous tipster who sent a Facebook post written by the suspect in which he expressed despair about possibly losing his job as well as other problems he was facing. In the post, he said he would “probably have to go out in a blaze of glory” and featured pictures of various firearms.

West’s post stated the following: “Well, I wish I had better news to tell but what I’m writing to you right now is the fact that I’m at the end of my rope I’m probably gonna get fired from his job. I’m […] supposed to be called into the office this morning so I wonder what lies are going to spew in order to justify firing me. I’m too old to keep looking for jobs and I’ve had it up to here being bullied by trans phobic assholes I am left with no alternative. I’ll probably have to go out in a blaze of glory. I’ve been preparing for this moment a long time at least then I’ll be remember I have no family no friends… So there really isn’t any point living anymore? I’m just gonna have to do what I have to do and pray for the gods to forgive me.

A Confidential Human Source (CHS) provided insights into West’s past. According to the source, the suspect had attended neo-Nazi rallies. He also had a disturbing incident with his father in which he was “arrested in 1993 for placing a shotgun in the mouth of her [sic] father and pulling the trigger, but the gun did not go off.”

A search of West’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, revealed violent and racist rhetoric, often accompanied by images of guns. One post read, “Bring it on blackie.” Another quoted, “A Nazi dominatrix from Hell, who is tired of the blackening of America and Europe and ready to stand up to the Black orcs and the Jewish Wizards.” During a conversation about Nazis, he stated:

We were the only ones at the time to stand up to the Jew and the mongrels and fight for an Aryan homeland and an Aryan world.

The suspect’s motives appear to be a toxic mix of personal grievances, extremist beliefs, and mental health problems. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, dissociative disorder, and PTSD, which could have played a part in his potential plans to commit mass murder.

He also felt harassed and marginalized because of his gender identity, as referenced in the Facebook post. The document noted that he “desperately wanted surgery but knew she would have to pay for it out-of-pocket.”

In interviews with FBI special agents on September 28, 2023, about his social media posts, West admitted that he had been “projecting her suicidal thoughts” and talked about his struggles with depression and suicidal ideation. However, he did claim that he did not have plans to harm himself or others despite what he was posting online.

West’s case is a troubling reminder of the toxic mixture of mental health problems and extremist ideologies. If the evidence outlined in the affidavit is any indication, it portrays a person on the brink, propelled by distress and hateful beliefs. It also highlights the work many in law enforcement must do to protect the American public from potential threats that all too often fly under the radar. In this case, the agents involved may have prevented yet another tragedy.