Police have arrested an arson suspect for terrorism after linking him to a violent extremist group that threatened schools across Texas.

Evan Banda was arrested on January 8 for allegedly committing five arsons in Fort Worth from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, according to a press release. Now, the Fort Worth Police Department said he is tied to a “violent extremist hate organization” that threatened school shootings across the state – including in DFW.

“The investigation revealed that Evan Banda acted in support of extremist ideologies,” the release reads.

Banda is facing charges including terrorism, terroristic threat, possession of child pornography, and five counts of arson, according to Tarrant County Jail records. He is currently held at the Lon Evans Corrections Center, under a total bond of $1.9 million.

Banda is 17 years old, but will be tried as an adult. 

The Dallas Express reached out to the department, but a media representative declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation. 

Becca Spinks, an independent journalist who investigates online extremists, told The Dallas Express she has been looking into the school threats. She said the suspects are claiming ties to the online Ukrainian “violent accelerationist group” MKY, which translates to “Maniac Murder Cult.” 

“The actors that were behind the threats to the Dallas schools claim to be members of an MKY group,” Spinks told DX. “That particular group that they’re claiming to be a part of is directly connected to 764.”

764 works with an online network of “nihilistic violent extremists” to incite violence across the world to bring “social unrest and the downfall of the current world order,” according to the Department of Justice. A San Antonio-based member of the group pleaded guilty to RICO and child exploitation in December. 

764 shares close ties to MKY, per the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. The groups require members to record acts of violence like child exploitation and arson, then upload them online.

The Threats

A group calling itself “Endtex” began posting messages on Telegram on January 6, threatening violence against 14 schools and Galleria Dallas, as The Dallas Express reported at the time.

After investigating, Fort Worth police said the posts were “not a credible threat,” and likely came from outside the U.S.

In the group’s first post, a masked man with a gun posed in front of the Nazi flag. He apparently had a European accent. 

“We will come to schools and start shooting children,” he said. “Many people will die.”

The group posted numerous other threats through January 7, posing with guns and items that looked like explosives. 

One of these threats included a video of Crowley Middle School, according to the release. Investigators found Banda was responsible for this, and tied him to a violent extremist group – though they did not confirm which one.

The target schools included the following:

Andrews: Andrews Elementary School
Austin: Baranoff Elementary School, Barrington Elementary School
Fort Worth: Arlington Heights High School, Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School, Eagle Mountain High School, Nolan Catholic High School, North Crowley High School, RMA Fort Worth Public School, South Hills High School, Timber Creek High School, Watson High School
Lake Dallas: Lake Dallas High School
River Oaks: Castleberry High School

In the early hours of January 6, officers with the Dallas Police Department evacuated North Dallas High School after a hoax bomb threat, as The Dallas Express reported. Frisco schools also locked down on January 14 due to email threats. The district had received similar threats earlier in the week, on January 12.

It was unclear if these incidents were related to Banda or the extremist group.

Fort Worth investigators found the school threats were linked to videos about the arsons, according to the release.

The Arson

During a press conference on January 9, Fort Worth Interim Fire Chief Raymond Hill said officials were investigating five arsons overnight between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

“Our team recognized that they had a pattern and anticipated their efforts,” Hill said. “Our investigators obtained critical evidence that eventually led to identification of a suspect.”

The first arson took place around 1:45 a.m. on Christmas Eve in South Fort Worth, according to Fort Worth Battalion Chief David Jones. The second took place nearby, around 12:14 a.m. on Christmas Day.

Another arson attack happened overnight on December 28. Another happened nearby, shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, followed by another that took place just after 11 p.m. on New Year’s Day.

Fort Worth police searched Banda’s nearby home on January 8 around 6 a.m., according to Jones. 

“We requested assistance for our SWAT team to safely execute a warrant,” said Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia. “Officers breached the residence and immediately had the suspect in view. The suspect was then instructed to walk away from the residence and toward officers and was taken into custody without incident.”