Federal Agents Arrest TN Man Over Alleged Plan To Attack Energy Facility
The Justice Department announced on Monday that a man from Tennessee was arrested on charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and aiming to destroy an energy facility.
In a press release, the DOJ revealed that 24-year-old Skyler Philippi, from Columbia, believed he was moments away from attacking a Nashville energy facility to advance “his white supremacist ideology” when undercover FBI agents apprehended him.
“This case serves as yet another warning to those seeking to sow violence and chaos in the name of hatred by attacking our country’s critical infrastructure: the Justice Department will find you, we will disrupt your plot, and we will hold you accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement.
He added, “I am grateful to the public servants of the FBI for their extraordinary work on this case and for the work they do every day to keep our country safe.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco commented further: “Those fueled by hate and inspired to violence by racial or ethnic bias pose a grave threat to our national security. Thanks to brave work by the FBI, his scheme was thwarted. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to wage such hate-fueled violence, which has no place in America or anywhere else.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray also issued a statement, noting, “Driven by a racially motivated violent extremist ideology, the Defendant planned to attack the power grid with a drone and explosives, leaving thousands of Americans and critical infrastructure like hospitals without power.
“The FBI’s swift work led to the detection and disruption of the defendant’s plot before he could cause any damage. We are committed to holding accountable anyone who threatens the security of our critical infrastructure or seeks to harm American communities through domestic violent extremism,” he stated.
Starting in June 2024, Philippi shared his plans with a confidential human source (CHS), expressing his desire to carry out a mass shooting at a YMCA facility in or near Columbia, Tennessee. In July 2024, he told another CHS about the potential impact of hitting large interstate substations, suggesting that attacking multiple substations would “shock the system” and lead to other malfunctions.
After reviewing past attacks on electric substations, Philippi decided firearms alone wouldn’t be sufficient. He thus developed a plan to use a drone equipped with explosives to directly attack the substation, according to the DOJ.
In September 2024, Philippi went with undercover FBI employees (UCEs) to an electric substation he had previously researched and intended to target, where he conducted reconnaissance. During the trip, Philippi directed the UCEs to procure C-4 plastic explosives and other materials.
The DOJ reported that Philippi later purchased black powder to make pipe bombs, which he intended to use in the planned substation attack.
He texted the CHS: “if you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis.” Referring to the substation, Philippi remarked, “Holy sh**. This will go up like a fu**in fourth of July firework.”
Philippi emphasized operational security measures, advising the use of disguises, leather gloves (to avoid fingerprints left by latex or nitrile gloves), and oversized shoes, the DOJ noted.
He also suggested burning their clothes after the attack and advised against bringing smartphones on the night of the operation.
On Nov. 2, the DOJ reported, Philippi participated in a Nordic ritual that involved reciting a Nordic prayer and discussing the Norse god Odin. Philippi told undercover FBI agents that “this is where the New Age begins” and that it was “time to do something big” that would be remembered “in the annals of history.”
He then drove to the site with the UCEs, who took their assigned positions for overwatch. Police, previously alerted to the plot by the FBI, then moved in and arrested Philippi.