Orange County

Man accused of threatening mass shooting, attack on judge in Orange County arrested at border

A federal criminal complaint accused Byrom Zuniga of sending threats that he planned to murder a judge, lawyers, and police officers in the months after an arrest at the end of a high speed pursuit in Lake Forest

A still image from a standoff outside an InNOut Burger in Lake Forest, California on May 5, 2023.
NBCLA

A man wanted for allegedly making threats to murder a judge and carry out a mass shooting of police and lawyers in Orange County was arrested this week when he attempted to cross the border from Mexico into the United States, federal authorities said.

Byrom Zuniga Sanchez, 32, was detained Monday night and was being held a a federal lockup in San Diego pending an initial appearance in court.

A federal criminal complaint filed last October alleged Zuniga sent numerous threatening messages via email and social media in which he said he planned to, "assasinate," [sic] judges, lawyers and police officers."

An FBI agent wrote in a court filing that Zuniga was the subject of numerous restraining orders and was wanted on several arrests warrants issued out of Orange County.

The agent said Zuniga was the same person arrested at the end of a high speed pursuit in Lake Forest in May, 2022.

Contact Us