Michael Zechariah Tedder, Mass Shooting Threats, North Carolina 2026

Winston-Salem, N.C. - A North Carolina teen has been sentenced to prison for threatening mass shootings at universities across the country. Michael Zechariah Tedder, 19, of Advance, appeared before Judge David A. Bragdon on June 9, 2026 and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

The charges stem from a series of threatening phone calls made by Tedder on September 12, 2025, in which he threatened to 'slaughter' and 'massacre' victims with a firearm at the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of North Texas, and University of Louisville.

Tedder's comments to the universities included referencing 'watch[ing] them choke on their [own] blood.' According to court documents, Tedder made the threatening calls after seeing media and online reporting about individuals disparaging Charlie Kirk following Kirk's assassination.

Court documents also revealed that Tedder has a significant history of mental health issues. Tedder's defense team referenced these issues during his sentencing hearing.

Tedder pled guilty to communicating a threat in interstate commerce in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) in March 2026. The investigation into Tedder's threats was conducted by the FBI Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), Greensboro Resident Agency, with assistance from the Davie County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Iverson prosecuted the case, with thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Davie County Sheriff's Office for their response and investigation.

Tedder's sentence includes 3 years of supervised release following his prison term. The case serves as a reminder of the severity of threatening violence, particularly in the context of mass shootings.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdnc/pr/davie-county-teen-sentenced-10-months-prison-threatening-mass-shootings-universities