Jack LaSota, known as Ziz, has been arrested in Maryland. Authorities say he leads a group linked to several killings. His charges include trespassing, possession of a handgun in a vehicle, and obstructing the police.
Alongside him, Michelle Zajko, 32, and Daniel Blank, 26, have been arrested on similar charges. All three are currently in a local jail.
The group, called “The Zizians,” has been connected to the January shooting death of U.S. border patrol agent David Maland and at least five more homicides in different states, including Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California.
Mr. Maland, 44, was shot during a traffic stop near the Canadian border. Sadly, a follower of LaSota’s, Ophelia Bauckholt, was also killed when a woman named Teresa Youngblut allegedly opened fire.
LaSota, 34, identifies as a transgender woman and works as a computer programmer. Reports suggest that the Zizians are run by highly educated individuals, largely computer scientists, mostly in their 20s and 30s. They communicate online and share extreme beliefs, which have escalated towards violence.
The group’s objectives remain unclear. Their online discussions cover diverse topics like gender identity, veganism, and artificial intelligence. LaSota’s blog presents a theory on how the brain’s two hemispheres might conflict, suggesting they can “desire to kill each other.”
In addition to the other killings, the group is linked to the stabbing of an elderly man in California last month. Prosecutors believe this was an attempt to stop him from testifying in a trial related to a previous sword attack.
In a troubling twist, the parents of Michelle Zajko were found dead in their Pennsylvania home earlier this year. While Zajko was questioned in that case, she hasn’t been charged. LaSota was later charged with obstructing the investigation but posted bail and missed a court date, leading to an arrest warrant. A hearing about his bail is set for Tuesday.