Man Who Tried Running Family Off Road, Threatened Mass Shooting, Convicted Of Hate Crime

A Florida man was found guilty Thursday of a "racially motivated" attack on a Black man who was traveling with his family in Seminole, 24 miles west of Tampa, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

The victim, who identified himself as J.T., was driving with his wife and young daughter when his car was attacked by 29-year-old Jordan Patrick Leahy on August 8, 2021. Leahy spewed racial obscenities at him and then attempted to force his vehicle off the road for nearly a mile, Miami Herald reported.

J.T., concerned for his family's safety, tried to dodge the attack while behind the wheel, but Leahy attempted to drive them off the road using his car, and sideswiped him till their mirrors collided, before speeding off.

The unprovoked and racially-motivated hate crime intensified at a stop sign after J.T. followed the car to take a picture of the license plate. Leahy got out of his vehicle, charged at the father, and attempted to hit him, court records revealed.

Authorities said the altercation ended when the father, who is skilled at martial arts, choked Leahy.

J.T. managed to keep the attacker subdued until Pinellas County deputies arrived.

When the officers reached the site, Leahy made remarks that demonstrated his racist motive, including saying that Black people need to be kept "in their areas," a news release by the attorney's office revealed.

When confronting the Black man, Leahy gave him the Nazi salute and pretended to shoot him. After being taken into custody, the accused also reportedly threatened to carry out a major shooting, Miami Herald noted.

The racist attacker confessed to the police that he intended to end his life by shooting himself in the neck after shooting 60 to 70 people in the face.

Leahy described his intended mission as "the most fulfilling thing he would experience in life," according to Raw Story.

The accused was convicted of the hate crime on August 24 by a federal jury in Tampa. He faces up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000, as reported by The Guardian.