Inset: Daniel Lamb (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Arizona elementary school that Daniel Lamb allegedly threatened to target (Google Maps).
An Arizona man allegedly threatened to run over elementary school children during recess, boasting that only a "flimsy" fence and his "good" conscience were standing in his way.
"I could not help but notice a playground full of kids playing, BASIS Chandler Primary North behind a pretty flimsy barrier," Daniel Lamb, 40, allegedly wrote in a message sent to his mother and another person in California, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
"This was all timed in coordination with their lunch time recess," Lamb allegedly said.
According to the affidavit, Lamb wrote that "the only thing that stopped him from killing children was that he was a good man."
His messages were allegedly sent between Sept. 18 and Sept. 19. He also threatened to kill Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs.
"The children were only saved because the intended murder weapon happened to be a remarkably strong and good man," Lamb said, per the affidavit.
On Sept. 18, Lamb allegedly posted a screenshot of an email on Instagram saying, "If you don't arrest me this weekend, I swear on my life that I will use my car to kill as many people as possible next week. Is that better?"
Lamb claimed the playground at BASIS Chandler Primary North, which is run by BASIS Charter Schools, presented a "significant" opportunity for "mass child murder," according to the affidavit.
Lamb allegedly rambled in his messages about random subjects, saying things like, "Ever since I got back from Sweden, the child killers have been doing something new, urging me to insincerely plan an attack while suggesting that I could not possibly be held accountable for it given the horrific violence deployed to procure a totally bogus plan, to say nothing of the imminent threat of being homeless and out on the streets, all access to paid and unpaid services in the private and public sectors effectively blocked."
In a message from Sept. 9, Lamb allegedly said, "I will do everything I can to make sure that the children and grandchildren of the people in the private sector participating in this slowly f—ing die."
In another message posted sometime between Sept. 15 and Sept. 18, Lamb allegedly said, "Here, I'll give you what you want, I plan on killing every politician in the country, their kids and grandkids, as if that motivation could be considered a fault in character."
Lamb allegedly threatened to track down Hobbs in hopes of killing her and her family.
"I plan on tracking down AZ Gov. Katie Hobbs, who I actually like, and stabbing her and her family to death on, well, let's say Thanksgiving, because of how much I hate America and my fellow Americans," Lamb said, according to the affidavit.
Lamb allegedly texted his mother on Sept. 1, saying he was in Arizona after leaving California. Police later located a vehicle registered to Lamb in Chandler, and he was arrested on Sept. 18.
Lamb's mother told investigators he struggled with "mental health issues" for approximately 18 years and believed he was possessed by "child killers," according to the affidavit. He also claimed to have suffered "constant sadistic abuse," the affidavit says.
"I took one of the knives that featured prominently in the abuse this afternoon and took it to my room to keep near my bed, should I get the courage," Lamb allegedly said in a message to his mom.
A spokesperson for BASIS Chandler Schools told the Merced Sun-Star on Tuesday that the school was aware of Lamb's threats.
"While any situation involving threats is deeply concerning, we remain in contact with law enforcement and understand that the individual is currently in custody," the spokesperson said. "Additionally, there is no known connection between the individual and the campus. Upon becoming aware of the matter this afternoon, BASIS Chandler Primary North promptly notified families and staff."
Lamb is charged with making a terroristic threat. He was ordered held on a $100,000 bond this week.
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