While the name James Wenneker von Brunn may be new to most people reading and watching the news, it's ringing a bell with some in Montgomery. The Southern Poverty Law Center has been keeping a close eye on him over the years.
James Wenneker von Brunn ran a website, and it is was named a hated site by the Southern Poverty Law Center's in 2008. WHNT NEWS 19 has learned von Brunn is from Maryland's eastern shore. He lived just outside of Baltimore. His home was searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
While von Brunn lived thousands of miles away, his name still resonates with the Southern Poverty Law Center.
"We've known about von Brunn since the late 1970s. In fact, in 1981 he tried to take the entire Federal Reserve Board hostage. He was found out in front of their offices in D.C. with a sawed-off shotgun inside of a jacket. He's a really pretty scary character," said Heidi Beirich with the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Heidi Beirich says there are quite a few people motivated by hateful beliefs. She says James von Brunn is one of them, calling him an anti-Semite, racist, and holocaust denier.
"It's not wildly unexpected. You can look at Timothy McVeigh. He was motivated by a neo-Nazi publication to blow up the federal building in Oklahoma. We had a guy in Pittsburgh just a couple of months ago who shot three police officers in his front yard. He had a whole bunch of anti-government and racist materials," added Beirich.
Beirich knew deep down what was going on when she heard about the shooting at the Holocaust Museum.
"My first reaction was that its got to be someone motivated by anti-Semitic beliefs. Who else would go and shoot up an esteemed museum like that, dedicated to the Holocaust," added Bierich.
While she deals with domestic terrorism on a daily basis, Beirich says this still hits home.
"What an absolute tragedy, because I think one of the security guards now has died. You have to remember how dangerous domestic terrorists can be," added Beirich.
Beirich says the man believed to be behind the deadly shooting is someone who spreads his hatred equally.
"He hated Jews. He raged and raged about Jews. He was equally racist. I wouldn't even repeat in a public place the things he said about African-Americans. He had crazy ideas that there was no Holocaust. He mixed some of the worst ideologies you can imagine into one stew," added Beirich.
The Southern Poverty Law Center says von Brunn's mentor was John Crommelin. Crommelin was a U.S. Rear Admiral, one-time candidate for Alabama Senator and Governor, and also a white supremacist.
James von Brunn operated a white supremacist website. WHNT NEWS 19 pulled it up Wednesday afternoon, however, it has since been shut down.
James Wenneker von Brunn ran a website, and it is was named a hated site by the Southern Poverty Law Center's in 2008. WHNT NEWS 19 has learned von Brunn is from Maryland's eastern shore. He lived just outside of Baltimore. His home was searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
While von Brunn lived thousands of miles away, his name still resonates with the Southern Poverty Law Center.
"We've known about von Brunn since the late 1970s. In fact, in 1981 he tried to take the entire Federal Reserve Board hostage. He was found out in front of their offices in D.C. with a sawed-off shotgun inside of a jacket. He's a really pretty scary character," said Heidi Beirich with the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Heidi Beirich says there are quite a few people motivated by hateful beliefs. She says James von Brunn is one of them, calling him an anti-Semite, racist, and holocaust denier.
"It's not wildly unexpected. You can look at Timothy McVeigh. He was motivated by a neo-Nazi publication to blow up the federal building in Oklahoma. We had a guy in Pittsburgh just a couple of months ago who shot three police officers in his front yard. He had a whole bunch of anti-government and racist materials," added Beirich.
Beirich knew deep down what was going on when she heard about the shooting at the Holocaust Museum.
"My first reaction was that its got to be someone motivated by anti-Semitic beliefs. Who else would go and shoot up an esteemed museum like that, dedicated to the Holocaust," added Bierich.
While she deals with domestic terrorism on a daily basis, Beirich says this still hits home.
"What an absolute tragedy, because I think one of the security guards now has died. You have to remember how dangerous domestic terrorists can be," added Beirich.
Beirich says the man believed to be behind the deadly shooting is someone who spreads his hatred equally.
"He hated Jews. He raged and raged about Jews. He was equally racist. I wouldn't even repeat in a public place the things he said about African-Americans. He had crazy ideas that there was no Holocaust. He mixed some of the worst ideologies you can imagine into one stew," added Beirich.
The Southern Poverty Law Center says von Brunn's mentor was John Crommelin. Crommelin was a U.S. Rear Admiral, one-time candidate for Alabama Senator and Governor, and also a white supremacist.
James von Brunn operated a white supremacist website. WHNT NEWS 19 pulled it up Wednesday afternoon, however, it has since been shut down.
