WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The 22-year-old Loxahatchee man arrested last Tuesday for threats to commit mass shootings appeared at a pre-trial detention hearing Monday, where Judge Daliah H. Weiss concluded there will be no conditions for his release.
"The concern of mass danger to the community is very real," the judge said.
WATCH: Loxahatchee threat suspect to remain jailed
WPTV's Ethan Stein was in court today as the state made its case to detain Damien Allen during his trial.
Allen is accused of amassing a trove of weapons, ammunition and uniforms used to impersonate law enforcement officers, including Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) deputies.
He is also accused of posting threats to commit mass shootings online, and is alleged to have communicated with 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who conducted a mass shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Dec. 17, 2024.
State prosecutors on Monday said the extent of Allen's planning and actions are the reason he poses a threat to the community and should be detained before his trial.
A PBSO detective testified as well, stating that they figured out Allen purchased law enforcement patches online, then sewed them onto blank uniforms to create the look of a PBSO uniform.
The detective said the FBI was concerned that Allen was an actual deputy with PBSO, and that Rupnow was communicating with a deputy. Prosecutors say the uniform duped the detective on the case to the point that he contacted internal affairs.
The defense on Monday said the law enforcement uniforms were for live-action role playing with people online, on apps like Discord.
Remarking on guns found throughout Allen's house, the detective stated that one gun, found in a bedroom, had a grey emblem on it similar to guns used in other mass shootings.
WATCH: How did Allen obtain law enforcement uniforms?
The judge cited Allen's level of sophistication in his planning as one reason to hold him in custody until his trial ends.
“The nature and circumstances are so incredibly alarming," Judge Weiss said of the case.
Allen will be held without bail for the duration of the case.
