SAN FRANCISCO — Ross Farca, 23, of Concord, California, who threatened on a gaming website to murder “over 30” Jews and police officers, returned to court June 26 with a private attorney to contest a restraining order that would extend a prohibition on his possession of firearms through July 15.
Farca was released on bail days after his arrest on June 10, posting bond through a bail bonds company, paying a 10 percent fee.
He had been arrested following a tip to the FBI of online threats to commit a mass shooting and boasts that he possessed an assault rifle he assembled from parts, an illegal act in California.
“I have a fully semi automatic weapon AR15 with multiple high capacity magazines … Wanna see a mas[s] shooting with a body count of over 30-subhumans?” He anticipated he could “probably get a body count of like 30 kikes and then like five police officers, because I would also decide to fight to the death.”
On the gaming site, Farca used the screen name “Adolf Hitler (((6 million)))” to inveigh against Jews, professed admiration for the Poway California and Christchurch , New Zealand shooters, and detailed a plan to mow down “clusterf***s of Kikes.” He threatened an attack that would exceed the number of Poway victims among whom one woman died protecting others, and three were injured. Farca said he would wear a Nazi uniform for his attack, and would livestream it, like the shooter who killed 51 people and injured 49 in March during two consecutive terrorist attacks at mosques in Christchurch. Farca said he would add “Nazi music.”
A search warrant for Farca’s home at the time of his arrest turned up the illegally assembled AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, several high-capacity magazines, Nazi literature —including what appeared to be original-era Hitler Youth printed matter— camouflage clothing and a sword.”
His release shocked the local Jewish community. Jewish Vocational Service, based in downtown San Francisco, circulated an email with Farca’s mugshot, warning recipients to contact police if they saw him. One congregation hired a professional guard for Shabbat services on June 21 and requested an increased police presence, according to a community-wide email.
A group of anxious parents and grandparents from the East Bay Jewish community who attended a preliminary hearing in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez on Tuesday wanted to know why Farca was released on bail in the first place. A father in the group said, “Reading about his boasts of body counts, I thought — this man wants to kill my son.”
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By the county bail schedule, standards for being held without bail are high and include crimes such as aggravated murder and possession of a deadly weapon by a prison inmate.
Farca’s bail was initially set and approved at $225,000 on June 12 — $100,000 was allocated each for the charges of manufacturing an assault weapon and possessing an illegal assault weapon, and $25,000 for making criminal threats.
But in a hearing the following day, it was lowered by $100,000 because two charges related to the same weapon, and the California Penal Code prevents “stacking” like that for the same criminal behavior.
In addition to a prohibition on handling firearms, the conditions of Farca’s release included that he is subject to search and seizure by police “any time day or night.”
Rafael Brinner, director of Jewish Community Security with the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation, said he was encouraged by how swiftly authorities arrested Farca after the tip to the FBI, which “averted a developing threat.” Brinner also said authorities continue to be “focused on mitigating any threat [Farca] might pose” after his release.
The group of parents and grandparents who attended the preliminary hearing spoke afterward to speak with the prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Rachel K. Piersig. One Jewish parent was in tears as she told Piersig that she had taken her daughter out of school because she was so afraid of what Farca might do.
The concerned father said. “There was a feeling of real helplessness watching this person walk free.”
Farca’s next scheduled court date is July 30. It’s unclear at present whether he’ll be allowed to possess firearms before then.