Man who shot up a town hoping to kill all LGBTQ+ residents gets 18 years in prison

A man who fired shots into a lesbian woman's house while she was inside and then targeted other LGBTQ+ residents in the community was sentenced to 18 years in prison, prosecutors announced.

John Russell Howald, from Basin, Montana, was convicted of hate and firearms crimes in April after a four-day trial. He fired an AK-style assault rifle at the residence and then started shooting at others in the neighborhood with the goal of killing all LGBTQ+ people in the town.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said Howald is being "held accountable for attempting to violently eliminate the entire LGBTQ community in a small Montana town."

“This hate crime and violent campaign targeting the LGBTQ community is a reminder of the epidemic of hate violence targeting people based on their sexual orientation. All people have the right to feel safe in their homes and communities, regardless of who they love," Clarke wrote in the Wednesday statement. "The Civil Rights Division will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to safeguard the civil rights of LGBTQ people affected by hate violence, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure justice for victims of bias-motivated crimes.”

U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana added that Howald "fired multiple shots into someone’s home based solely on her sexual orientation," and that "only the heroic and brave actions of residents and law enforcement, as well as some good fortune, prevented a targeted mass shooting.”

According to court documents, on March 22, 2020, Howald went on a "self-described mission to rid the town of Basin of its lesbian, queer and gay community."

"Howald was armed with two assault rifles, a hunting rifle, two pistols and multiple high-capacity magazines that were taped together to speed reloading," according to the government.

"Howald walked to the first victim’s residence and fired multiple rounds from an AK-style rifle into her property and home, all because of his belief regarding her sexual orientation," the release states. "Hoping he had killed her, Howald set off toward other houses occupied by people who identify as lesbian, queer or gay."