Man arrested after claiming severed head in YouTube video was his father – a federal worker – amid Biden administration rant
(CNN) — Editor’s note: This story includes graphic descriptions some readers may find disturbing.
A gruesome killing is under investigation after a man posted a social media video showing what he claimed was his father’s decapitated head and ranting about the Biden administration and the border crisis while declaring himself the new acting president of the United States under martial law.
The video circulated for hours on YouTube – garnering more than 5,000 views – before it was taken down. Justin Mohn, 32, now is being held without bond, charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and other charges, Pennsylvania court documents show.
The horrifying case comes amid a fraught national political environment and as social media executives – set to be grilled Wednesday by Congress – have been under fire for allowing graphic and sometimes violent videos to be posted and remain on their sites.
Police started investigating Mohn after a man in his 60s was found beheaded and covered in blood Tuesday, CNN affiliate WPVI reported.
In the video, the man identifying himself as Mohn apparently reads from a written statement and at one point holds up what appears to be a bloodied head inside a clear plastic bag. He says his father, who was a federal employee for over 20 years, was a traitor to his country.
“The federal government of America has declared war on its citizens and the American states. America is rotting from the inside out as far left, woke mobs rampage our once prosperous cities,” he says in the video.
The suspect was identified as the victim’s son, Middletown Township Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla told CNN. He fled in a vehicle more than 100 miles to Fort Indiantown Gap, where he was arrested near a National Guard training base by civilian police with assistance from Pennsylvania State Police, Bartorilla said. The vehicle was recovered.
“YouTube has strict policies prohibiting graphic violence and violent extremism,” the company told CNN Wednesday in a statement. “The video was removed for violating our graphic violence policy and Justin Mohn’s channel was terminated in line with our violent extremism policies. Our teams are closely tracking to remove any re-uploads of the video.”
It is unclear whether Mohn has an attorney; CNN has reached out to the Bucks County public defender for comment. He was arraigned early Wednesday via video, according to WPVI. A judge ordered him held without bond, court records show; his next hearing is set for February 8.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office will hold a news conference on Wednesday, Bartorilla said.
“I think the neighborhood can rest easy because I think they were a little uneasy for a while, before they knew where the person of interest was,” he told WPVI overnight.
This is a developing story and will be updated.