ST. PAUL, MINN – Bail has been denied for Minnesota man authorities say was amassing an arsenal of guns to use against police before his arrest, and had idolized the person who killed five people at a gay nightclub in Colorado last month.
A judge ruled Tuesday that no restrictions were sufficient to ensure that 20-year-old would not pose a danger to public safety as he awaits trial on weapons charges. Smith did not speak or enter a plea during his detention hearing.
Smith is charged with possession of a machine gun, devices to convert guns to fully automatic fire — and attempting to possess unregistered hand grenades. He paid a second FBI informant $690 for four “auto sear” devices and three dummy grenades shortly before his arrest last Wednesday.
FBI Special Agent Mark Etheridge testified that when Smith was arrested he had a loaded Glock 17 semiautomatic handgun, with three full magazines for a total of 52 rounds of ammunition, including the bullet in the chamber. He was wearing soft body armor designed to stop handgun rounds. A search of his car turned up an “AR-style” rifle and two other handguns, as well as a “drum magazine” for the rifle that held 100 rounds.
Smith lived with his grandparents in the Minneapolis suburb of Savage.