FBI Launches Terrorism Probe Into Garlic Festival Shooting

The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a domestic terrorism investigation into the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, officials announced Tuesday.

John Bennett, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Francisco division, told reporters at a Gilroy press conference that the investigation of Santino William Legan’s digital devices uncovered a list of organizations that may have been targeted for similar violent acts. Those organizations included religious institutions, federal buildings, courthouses, political institutions from both major parties, and the Garlic Festival, Bennett said.

Legan killed himself after a shootout with Gilroy police July 28, minutes after he sprayed the festival crowd with a semi-automatic rifle, killing three people and wounding 13.

Bennett declined to name the organizations on the list, citing concerns about an ongoing investigation, but said the FBI is reaching out to them. However, the organizations on the list were “nationwide,” not specifically Santa Clara County, he added.

The motive for the Garlic Festival shooting is still being explored, he said. It appeared Legan, a 19-year-old Gilroy native, was “interested in several violent ideologies,” but it is unknown which one he settled on, according to Bennett.

Bennett said the FBI will now look into whether Legan was in contact with other individuals or organizations.

“The case is ongoing and we cannot provide any detailed information,” he said. “It’s important that we do this the right way.”

38 Comments

  1. And trump supporters will cheer and find a way to blame “ democrats, socialism, etc”.

    Republicans do nothing about gun control. We need NATIONAL restrictions on gun ownership. Or are you republicans willing to wait until one of these so- called “ responsible, law abiding “ gun nuts enters your child’s classroom?!

    • Restrictions were already in place. The firearm was illegally transported across state lines from Nevada to California. The law and restriction was broken right there. Of course that’s a border issue, a domestic border issue, but a border issue just the same – so no one will press it.

      You can put up all the restrictions and bans you want – and they won’t do a thing unless we enforce them. Things will only improve once we stop picking and choosing which laws to actually enforce properly.

    • You belittle others for blaming someone, and yet you blame someone…. On the face of it you seem to be exacerbating the hatred and division, fanning the flames of anger if you will. Perhaps you could try a more positive approach next time?

      • I’m sorry about being passionate about stopping MASSACRES! The time is right to do something, and the only thing stopping this madness is the NRA and the politicians who enable mass shootings.

    • > And trump supporters will cheer and find a way to blame “ democrats, socialism, etc”.

      Well, you don’t have to be a Trump supporter to blame democrats and socialists.

      Everyone is allowed to blame them.

      • Of course, you would. Instead of looking at the source—- trump—— who is constantly spewing divisive racist rhetoric. You lap it up like a dog.

    • Even the parents (so they say) had absolutly no knowledge of their sons views. So how is it the GOP or the Democrats responsible? Or even President Trump. I think when it gets watered down it will be the system. This guy had mental issues and someone has let this slip through the cracks. That’s who to blame. That said, I see no reason to have automatic weapons on the street, and I see no reason to have guns modified or not with multiple bullet clips. I’m sick of people and the blame game they play, how about including yourself as the reason this guy was able to buy guns and use them on other people.

  2. Dear Tara Baby,
    Had this perpetrator not had a gun, but used a car, a bomb, a knife or an airplane would he be any less guilty?
    Would you be any less likely to blame Trump or gun owners.

    If you find out he’s a self loathing Democratic Socialist with a history of mental problems turned loose by a prosecutor that declared he could never get a conviction on such a person would you throw yourself on the steps of the SJI and apologize to the NRA and the millions, of gun owners in the state.
    Not a chance!

    You have been taught to hate and fear guns, and gun owners the NRA and Republicans.

    How about men and white people, do you hate them to? How about pit-bulls and police and ICE. Do you hate America because the country once had slaves and wouldn’t let women vote, or if you didn’t own land or been a man?
    Responsible law abiding gun owners won’t be entering your child class room to stop some not-job from killing your kids as that is against the law! You’ll have to dial 911 and wait as we don’t want police with scaring are snowflakes.

    • No, douchebag. I grew up around guns and hunters. I grew up in the gun culture. Not one of my relatives who are veterans and hunters EVER NEEDED THE TYPES OF WEAPONS USED IN THESE MASSACRES. You are a huge part of the problem. Responsible law abiding gun owners?!? Weren’t these killers responsible and law abiding until they killed people? Your argument is weak af.

      • Tara Baby,
        I grew up in NY, a non gun culture. Two of my friends died by gunfire before they got to high school. Another murdered and old woman stabbing her 37 times for pot money.
        I didn’t buy an a semi auto rifle until Dian Feinstein decided to ban hand guns, because hand guns lead the way in murder and accidental gun related death. That is still true. So called assault weapons still in the 3% range. More people killed with knives and hammers than long guns.

        No these shooters were not responsible gun owners until they went out and killed some one, any more than your relative’s were that didn’t kill someone. As of late the vast majority of these killers stewed and plotted schemed revenge for some twisted reason. Like at the FT Hood massacre well documented now, this was a deliberate attack by a trusted man that warned and showed both mental and cultural signs of becoming violent. To be politically correct this time bomb was blatantly ignored by the very Government that you think is going to protect us. The government has still not paid for that mistake, and continues to deny benefits to the victims of that attack or awarded the unarmed soldiers and civilians that attacked and charged Major Hasan as he blasted them with two handguns smuggled into a guarded government processing facility. Thankfully an armed civilian cop managed to put a stop to this mad man.

        You don’t need these types of weapons’ to shoot up or kill a bunch of unarmed people in a no gun zone like FT. Hood, or a school full of kids. A $10 machete from Home Depot will do just fine. A rental car or truck. A presser cooker and matches just as good.

        You correctly pointed out Cops that go nuts kill their relatives, but they also kill the wrong guy more often than the civilian that correctly identified and shoot the person that attacked them. Good guys with gun get it right more often than cops.
        Sorry cops your walking into a blind situation, you can’t always know who the bad guy is. We have home invasion’s from violent gangs both domestic and foreign like MS13 who’s signature initiation is hacking a 15 year old girl to death with a manchette

        Armed civilians don’t go running into Walmart’s or schools looking for cereal killers, they defend their homes, family, farms and businesses from intruders. Civilians buy those black guns now in a variety of calibers for hunting and target shooting as well as defense. AR variant are now one of the most popular fire arms, as we veterans have used them since the sixty’s. They are light and short easy to carry about 7lbs in the field and are available from .17to 50 caliber

        Why do we need a second amendment? We have a government that is hell bent on letting in millions of undocumented democrats in the hopes securing socialist power and control. The first step for those control freaks in disarm the population, dissolve civil rights.

        By the way Democrats have assaulted Trump supporter in mass, under the watchful eye of San Jose PD with orders to stand down and, yes some of those victims were friend of mine.

        • BS. You are sooooo oppressed! Always the victims. Trump loves to play on your victimhood mentality. Keep believing you’re the “ forgotten “ men. Hahaha. More guns= more violence. When we banned these weapons before, it worked. Proven.

          Keep spewing NRA talking points while they take your money to buy mansions! Lmao

          • Tara Baby,
            If banning those guns made any difference in lowering crime or mass shootings they would still be banned.
            I’m not an oppressed victim, and I won’t let any mentally disturbed dictators that think like you make me one as long as we have a Second Amendment.

            Jumping through extra hoops. We still have a presumption of innocents in this country.
            If you would like we could add a law that no registered Democrats could be allowed to buy a gun, but you could kill all your babies.

    • Further, the NRA pays no taxes, yet lobbies politicians like trump and ted cruz and other ( mostly republican politicians) to the tune of over $1 billion, so I haven’t been “ taught” to loathe them, I know enough to loathe them for what they do. My own father was a member for years until they went off the rails.
      Police are trained to use firearms. Even they aren’t completely accurate under pressure. What makes you believe any Tom , Dick, or Harry is going to do any better? Your “ good guy with a gun” bs had failed time and again. Police go into an active shooter situation and don’t know WHO to aim for when too many gun nuts are around playing hero! A black man was shot and killed when he did this! You’re way doesn’t work. End of story.

      SNOWFLAKES are people like you, who go through life so scared of everything and everyone, they feel the need to carry a gun everywhere they go! Yet you paint those of us who refuse to be victims of you lunatics cowards?!?
      Please look up the study of Dunning, Kruger and read it.

      • @ MT Gunn

        I hope you denounce your party when you find out a Republican scotus made abortion legal HYPOCRITE! Learn before you speak!

        • Tara Baby,
          I had no problem with Roe VS Wade as it was written but that incrementalism you just accused the NRA of with the Second Amendment, ( a real right) is exactly how we have crept into 4th trimester murder. How old does a baby have to be before you think mom or the state or a DR. shouldn’t be executing them?

          • What do you care about unborn babies? How many babies are locked up in cages? How many babies and children have been killed with guns?! Guess that doesn’t matter to you.
            I am pro choice, not pro abortion. This isn’t even about abortion anymore… this is about others making personal medical choices for others. Not your business. A woman having an abortion DOES NOT AFFECT YOU. Unhinged people with access to guns does affect others.. got it?!

  3. If the FBI does not look at the criminal files of Tom Legan Sr, and the related family law files related to the shooter’s grandparents’ divorce in 1988, then the investigation will fail to capture the real threat to every child in our community; that by secreting domestic violence and sexual abuse of a children we will continue to impose harm for many generations.

    Adults and elected officials in this county have created a toxic culture that violates the trust of our children.
    Democrats physically assaulting Trump supporters on the streets of Los Gatos.
    Police officers beating mentally ill library users on the San Jose State University Campus.
    San Jose Police officers running guns and drugs.
    San Jose Police Officer Association selling $20 auction tickets for semi automatic riffles days after the Garlic Festival Shooting.
    Santa Clara County DA Jeff Rosen prosecuting boys who beat up priests who raped them while ignoring Rabbi’s who sexually assault bisexual men.
    DAO employees Terry Harman and Cindy Hendrickson using public recourses to engineer the recall Judge Aaron Persky, while offering rape victims only $250 cash gift cards and saying the county has no other resources.
    Gilroy Police Officers getting out of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and a toxic culture.
    Gilroy voters electing a new mayor who was the adult responsible for the death of a Gilroy teen at his home in 2009. Gilroy Police never pursuing the mental health issues involving a SJPD police officer who killed his wife and murdered himself in their Gilroy home.

    As Gilroy High endured escalating gang activity and threats of violence, Christopher High offered only select students better and safer opportunities. This created a divided community where the socioeconomic impact was visible on two public high school campuses.

    There are many fingerprints on this tragedy. And we wonder why Mr. Legan was so angry?

    Just pretend for a moment the children are watching how the adults and elected officials have acted in Santa Clara County for the past 20 years. Still wondering why a witness reported Mr. Legan claimed he was shooting into a crowd of strangers because he was angry?

    • Democrats aren’t physically assaulting trump supporters in LG. You read a biased story written by a biased SJI reporter. Sheehan is known for causing problems in LG. She is a notorious harasser, and then plays victim. She and her cultist trump supporters set up camp across the street from a Mexican restaurant for a reason… but let’s ignore that. Fact is, her gang harassed me personally by phone and basically threatened me by texting me my address and issuing subtle threats of sexual assault. You won’t read that in these stories! I had to call the police! Be careful who you align yourself with.

  4. Compulsory national service, also known as ‘the draft,’ might be part of the answer for this 18-25 year-old demographic of idle young men identified as shooters.

  5. TARA,

    We have a Bill of Rights here in America. It is the law of the land. If you don’t agree with it, there’s a simple procedure for changing whatever you don’t like about it. That procedure has been used to change the Constitution literally dozens of times.

    Instead, you advocate arbitrarily denying the’ rights of We The People — simply because you’re too lazy to change the rules as the law requires. Your ideas are clearly un-American.

    If you’re too lazy to do things the American way, there are plenty of countries with gun control. I suggest you move to one of them, rather than trying to usurp the rights of people who are no threat to you.

    Canada is close. Mexico is closer. Or maybe Venezuela is more your cup of tea…

  6. If this New FBI™ is going to investigate one person as a ‘terrorist’, can we assume our New FBI™ will also investigate Antifa? And the college professors who specifically advocate violence against people and racial groups they hate, such as male Caucasians?

    I used to believe that cops were honest, and that judges would never, ever take a bribe. I used to believe the law appplied to equally to all. I used to believe the FBI was above politics.

    I used to believe a lot of things.

  7. Yes, TARA, I am a “real patriot.” You, dear, are not, and never will be, because you hate this countrty.

    And I already enlisted, thank you. And served in Viet Nam. I carried a gun there, too. But I’d fade long odds that you never enlisted…

    You are the most insecure commenter in a long time here, TARA. You call people names because they have a different point of view than yours. If you tried hard maybe you could be more reprehensible.

    Finally, you never explained why you refuse to do what lots of other folks have done: work to change the Constitution if you don’t like what’s in it. Instead, you refuse to go by the rules. Why not? Do you think you’re, like… special? That the rules don’t apply to you?

    Since you won’t answer that question, I will answer it for you: yes, you do think you’re “special”. But the majority here just thinks you’re special ed…

    I don’t expect a coherent reply from TARA. She can’t give a reasonable answer because she’s so mentally spun up by her hatred. It’s turned her into a raving monster; a lunatic, no different from the perp who assaulted the peaceful woman in Los Gatos.

    Stay tuned for name-calling, insults, and emo-bluster from an impotent female… TARA, in:

    3 …2 …1…

    • The majority of commenters here are the same as you—- fascists who care only for themselves. You aren’t special, and you are only the majority on this post. Keep it up, this will backfire on you spectacularly. Your potus will be ousted eventually, and you will be forced back under your rocks where you belong.
      You speak of rules when your rapist, lying, whore mongering, bigot potus has broken them all —-while you cheer and bish about your “ rights” after people and CHILDREN are massacred . You are repugnant.
      Btw, The peaceful woman you speak of is a monster and a raving lunatic who harasses people who disagree with her. You have no idea, but the police do know… I guarantee that.

    • you Served in Vietnam?!?! Lmao sure , Jan. My family served in Vietnam and WW2, decorated veterans AND MEXICANS… some who died for THIS COUNTRY, even though they weren’t citizens! So you can take your gun and your ignorant comments and shove them up your arrogant worthless azz.
      You want to live in a militarized country under a dictatorship… move to NK or Russia with your traitor potus.

      • > you Served in Vietnam?!?! Lmao sure , . . .

        > So you can take your gun and your ignorant comments and shove them up your arrogant worthless azz. . . .

        > The majority of commenters here are the same as you—- fascists who care only for themselves. . . .

        Well, there goes the white working class vote.

        Do Antifa and radical feminist lunatics know how to produce food and make things?

        Everyone I know has gotten used to eating regularly, I’m not ready to go back to foraging for food.

        • >>>There goes the White working class vote

          Lmao. FYI, you might be speaking to a white working class voter. Radical feminist? No, a woman who doesn’t appreciate being diminished by being called an “ impotent female!”
          Yes, democrats and independents know how to make things and produce their own food. Do you?!
          And wtf do your comments have ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SUBJECT AT HAND?! Not a gd thing.

          You don’t like it? Too F$cking bad for you. Trump supporters are gd morons.

          • > And wtf do your comments have ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SUBJECT AT HAND?! Not a gd thing.

            If you spend your life talking only about the subjects you want to talk about, you will only know the stuff that you want to talk about.

            Other people will find you boring.

  8. @ M. T. Gunn

    This “conversation “ is over. The moment you said “ impotent FEMALE “ , you proved your disdain for women, and your sexism. There is something wrong with you. Seek help with the non- existent mental healthcare your potus is providing to you and the other mentally ill gun nuts. ?

  9. Tara Baby,
    I never said any such thing. As usual your confused and angary and blaming the wrong person.

    The Clinical Phycologist I quoted is a person I grew up with and went to school with. She was the target of Major Hasan, She survived because she had been called away moments before Hasan stepped into that room and started shooting. Several of her friends died there, one in her arms. She is now dealing with both the Cops in Dayton and the family’s of those who perished and survived there as well.

    I love women wouldn’t have married any of other the 57 genders. I might distain you, your just the type of person that should be Red Flagged for a mental evaluation in my opinion and should never have a gun, or a car.

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