Arizona man arrested after alleged threat to drive a U-Haul into Pride parade and open fire
A man in handcuffs (Getty Images)
An Arizona man has been arrested after investigators allege he left a voicemail threatening to “drive a U-Haul through a parade of homosexuals and start firing at everybody.”
Maricopa County jail records show Austin Jay Curtis, 32, was arrested on 12 October. He is charged with felony stalking, a felony count of making a terrorist threat, and a misdemeanour offence of threatening or intimidating. His bond was set at $75,000.
Investigators allege the case began with a campaign of unwanted messages to a former schoolmate that escalated into threats of violence against her and LGBTQ+ people. They further allege Curtis contacted the woman via social media and left her more than 100 voicemails. The woman had reported the alleged harassment to police in July.
Authorities have not named a specific Pride event as the alleged target, although Phoenix Pride was held over the weekend of 10 October.
What do police allege happened at the woman’s home?
Police allege the investigation intensified when Curtis arrived at the woman’s residence. She reported that someone struck her door forcefully and called out to her.
Bags and boxes were left outside the home, raising alarm as earlier messages had mentioned bombs. A bomb disposal team checked the items and found no explosives.
Officers instead discovered knives, keys, dog-waste bags, and assorted belongings. Curtis later allegedly told investigators he left the knives because he thought the woman needed a way to defend herself.
What did Curtis allegedly say after his arrest?
Following his arrest, Curtis allegedly admitted making threatening comments but described them as “jokes”, and said his remarks about attacking LGBTQ+ people were meant to test the boundaries of free speech. He also allegedly said he was “surprised it took this long to get arrested.”
Pride parades and festivals in the US have faced heightened security concerns in recent years amid threats and political backlash, including when an 18-year-old Utah man was charged with a hate crime after allegedly stalking a former classmate and repeatedly threatening to kill him in September 2026.
