Dynamite James
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This man is a threat to the public. Why is he not locked up? 
Video: Guns seized from Long Beach man police say wanted to 'inflict pain on as many people as possible'LBPD seizes AR-15, handgun from man they say glorified mass shootings
Fernando Haro
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Long Beach police recently seized a high-powered rifle and a handgun from a man they believe wanted to “commit a racially motivated mass shooting or murder innocent members of the public,” according to newly obtained court documents.
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The man, 29-year-old Jaime Alvarez, sent private messages on social media about wanting to murder Black people, carry out a genocide against the Jewish community, commit “Columbine 2.0” or inflict “as much pain onto as many people as possible,” according to a restraining order filed by police last month.
In one of the violent posts, which stretch as far back as February, police said Alvarez created a meme with a photo of himself and the accompanying caption: “chilling new image of suspect behind shooting spree.”
Other posts cited by police—which were all sent over direct messages on Instagram—were filled with racist language, self-loathing statements and glorification of mass shooters like Elliot Rodger who killed six people in a misogynistic shooting spree near UC Santa Barbara in 2014.
When contacted by the Long Beach Post, Alvarez admitted to sending the messages but said he wasn’t planning any violence. He said he thought he was participating in “meme culture” in private chat rooms and his posts would be protected by the First Amendment.
“I’m not a violent person,” he said, saying the gun seizures have turned his life upside down and he fears the situation will lead people to retaliate against or threaten him. “I never set out to harm anyone.”
Alvarez never identified a specific time or place for a mass shooting, and his posts outlined in court documents don’t mention the LGBTQ community, but Long Beach police said they feared he may target the Long Beach Pride festival and parade this weekend.
“Even though no specific event was identified, we wanted to act swiftly in order to prevent such an act,” Long Beach Police Department spokesperson Richard Mejia said. “The Pride Parade was the most upcoming, large-scale City event—and our top priority is always to keep all residents and visitors to our city safe.”
In court documents, Long Beach police say the FBI discovered Alvarez’s messages while investigating someone else connected to the group chat. Federal agents alerted police about Alvarez, who lives in Long Beach, on June 13. Three days later, the LBPD requested a gun violence restraining order, essentially asking a judge for permission to seize the AR-15 rifle and .44-caliber revolver Alvarez legally owned.
In their application for the restraining order, police wrote it was “imperative” the judge allow them to act. Alvarez, they said, appeared to be depressed and a clear threat to the public, sending messages that he was “too broken for society,” and that he wants to “unironically inflict as much pain onto as many people as possible.”
A judge granted the temporary restraining order on June 14, at which point police searched Alvarez’s home and he surrendered his two guns, according to Mejia, who said there’s no evidence Alvarez has any other firearms.
Long Beach police are now seeking a permanent gun restraining order that would prevent Alvarez from possessing firearms or any firearm accessories such as magazines and ammunition for at least five years.
The temporary order was set to expire today, but a Long Beach Superior Court judge extended it until July 28 to provide time for a hearing on the permanent order. (It was set to be heard today, but the judge ruled police hadn’t given Alvarez proper notice of the hearing where he can dispute the decision to seize his weapons.) Alvarez’s attorney declined to comment.
It is extremely rare for the Long Beach Police Department to file a gun voice restraining order against an individual.
The department in June 2021 filed a restraining order against a Long Beach man and confiscated his guns after he made multiple threats of violence against police officers.
The man stated that he had been harboring resentment toward police officers for 24 years after he was rejected for a Los Angeles police officer job because of a failed polygraph test. The department said he suffered from mental health issues and posed a threat to the community.
A judge later approved the department’s restraining order, allowing police to confiscate the man’s guns for the maximum five years.
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