FBI investigation thwarts "mass casualty attack" from Pennsylvania man accused of pledging ISIS allegiance

CBS News ^ | September 15, 2026 | Mike Darnay, Jennifer Borasso

[Twotone]

A Pennsylvania man planned to carry out an ISIS-inspired "mass casualty attack" before an FBI investigation thwarted him, according to federal law enforcement officials.

Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, federal officials said Jonathan Kramer, 21, of Valencia, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Syria. He was arrested Saturday outside of a hotel in Cranberry Township, around 25 miles north of Pittsburgh, with a rifle, ammunition and dozens of knives in his possession. Suspect shared "radical ideology"

Richard Evanchec, special agent in charge for the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, called the planned attack an "imminent threat of violence inspired by ISIS."

"Let me be clear about this threat: Jonathan Kramer demonstrated a sustained devotion to the Islamic State of Syria," Evanchec said. "He recorded a pledge of allegiance to the same. Following that pledge, he made efforts to spread their propaganda and shared ways to kill all in the name of a foreign terrorist organization."

United States Attorney Troy Rivetti said it became clear that Kramer, a 2023 Mars Area High School graduate, was moving forward "with his radical ideology." But officials didn't elaborate on any specifics surrounding the alleged planned attack, including when or where it might have occurred.

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TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: doineedtolook; isis; isitthemyogi; paping; pennsylvania; terrorism; themagain; yesbooboo

[Blurb2350]

Kramer!

[Ken522]

Jonathan Kramer >

Kramer ... that's a good Jewish name ....

[lee martell]

“No soup for YOU, Mister Kramer!”

Left Unanswered:
What video games has he been watching or participating in?
Is he a social outcast? No Ladies in his life? Why would he become a Fan-Boy of foreign torture specialists? Who is it that he wishes he could torture?

[Wallace T.]

Whatever his ethnic or religious background, I suspect Jonathan Kramer is like Thomas Crooks or Tyler Robinson: an alienated young white man who either went along with radical, anti-American ideology or possibly was manipulated to attempt some sort of mayhem. Do we really know if the MK-Ultra programming was shut down in the 1970s, or if it continues under another name in the Federal bureaucracy? In today's digital world, it is far easier to find potential Lee Harvey Oswalds, Arthur Bremers, Sara Jane Moores, etc., than it was 50-70 years ago.

[Gunslingr3]

But officials didn't elaborate on any specifics surrounding the alleged planned attack, including when or where it might have occurred.

Why do I feel like there is an exceedingly high likelihood the FBI found another halfwit and paid someone to goad him into agreeing to do something he could and would have never attempted on his own? All so they could 'bust the plot' before it happened.

It just seems like every time there is one of these 'stopped it before it happened' stories from the FBI they're literally the moving force behind the whole thing ever getting off the ground.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

The note told people not to look for him, saying "I cant live in constant Fear,"

This is such a Gen Z thing to say. They have been bombarded with this idea that they are under attack by oppressors and are victims of a system out to screw them. Their whole world view is that they have no agency to create a life for themselves and that they have to demand that someone else give it to them. And if someone else doesn't give it to them, they get angry and afraid. Some turn to Communism. I guess some like this Kramer turn to terrorism.

[Bon of Babble]

Jonathan Kramer demonstrated a sustained devotion to the Islamic State of Syria.

Deport to Syria immediately, never to return.

[Carriage Hill]

Ping.

[Kudsman]

Yeah it’s a mystery. He had a prayer rug, but the media failed to identify what kind of prayer rug. Do the Amish have prayer rugs?

[Wallace T.]

Jews aren't big on prayer rugs either. Nor are Catholics, Protestants, and atheists, agnostics, etc. If you say “prayer rug”, you are saying this man is a Muslim. Just as if you list the name of a man accused of murder is, say, Ka’Shawn Washington, you can guess his race is black.

[Kudsman]

Maybe it was just a Free, Free Palestine rug? The left is buying all kinds of jihad merch these days.

[HYPOCRACY]

Probably more than likely.

[catnipman]

“Do the Amish have prayer rugs?”

no, they prefer the knee pain of kneeling on bare hardwood floors ...

[Democrat = party of treason]

PUBLIC EXECUTION NOW

[chopperk]

Its only a matter of time before muslims, hamas, issis combine to push islam down Americas throat and with new rinos, there is nothing to stop them; lock and load.

[Keyhopper]

Get more at gitmo

[lightman]

Pennsylvania Ping!

Please ping me with articles of interest.

FReepmail me to be added to the list.

[null and void]

Deport to Syria immediately, never to return.

Citizens can't be deported.

EXILE him to Syria immediately, never to return.

[sneakers]

He was arrested in 2023 as well on similar charges, as well as other disgusting crimes. It’s further down in the article:

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/butler-county-man-charged-receiving-firearm-and-ammunition-intent-commit-terrorism-behalf