The FBI has reported that it foiled an apparent plot to harm individuals at a South Florida office of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Forrest Kendall Pemberton was arrested on Christmas Day after allegedly driving from Alachua County to Plantation, where he was searching for the AIPAC office and other locations, all while carrying several firearms.
One of the locations Pemberton was reportedly scouting was a former AIPAC office located off Pine Island Road in Plantation. Authorities acted swiftly to prevent any potential harm, and Pemberton was taken into custody. The FBI is continuing its investigation into the case.
Court documents also show he was looking at a local IRS office nearby.
According to documents filed on Monday, Forrest Kendall Pemberton allegedly left a note for his family saying goodbye before traveling to South Florida to scout potential locations for an attack. He was reportedly planning to return with weapons, including an AR-15 rifle.
Law enforcement officers located him on December 25, the first night of Hanukkah, in a rideshare vehicle. When questioned by investigators, Pemberton was asked if he was planning a “mass casualty” event and then taking his own life. The documents suggest that he may have been preparing for a large-scale attack, though authorities acted swiftly to prevent the plot from unfolding.
“Um, I really don’t know if I was gonna end it with my life or not. I hadn’t gotten that far yet,” he responded, according to the documents. “It entirely depended if I ended up getting caught or not. If caught, that was a way out.”
According to the documents, Forrest Kendall Pemberton chose the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as a target because of its “political influence” and its proximity to other locations. He cited his frustration with the “status quo” and his desire to “see if I could make a change” as the motivation behind his actions.
Oren Segal, the vice president of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, commented that had the attack occurred, it would have had significant repercussions across both the Jewish community in the U.S. and abroad, as well as other communities. He noted that the Jewish community has felt particularly vulnerable since the attacks of October 7, and although the plot was thwarted, it raises ongoing concerns.
The FBI confirmed that Pemberton was arrested on federal stalking charges. He is scheduled for a court hearing on Monday in Alachua County.
