A Fort Worth teenager with alleged ties to an overseas extremist organization is now facing serious terrorism charges after authorities connected him to a series of car fires and threatening videos targeting local schools.
Evan Banda, 17, was arrested on January 8, 2026, and now faces a staggering $1.9 million bond as he confronts multiple charges including arson, terroristic threat, terrorism, and possession of child pornography, according to authorities. Despite his age, Banda will be tried as an adult.
The investigation began after five vehicles were set ablaze in South Fort Worth between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve 2025. What initially appeared to be isolated arson cases quickly evolved into something far more disturbing when investigators uncovered Banda’s alleged connection to an extremist hate group operating outside the United States.
From Local Fires to Terrorism Charges
Fort Worth Police say Banda didn’t stop at arson. Investigators discovered the teen had allegedly recorded footage of North Texas schools, including Crowley Middle School, and transmitted these videos to overseas extremist contacts who then created and posted threatening content online.
One particularly chilling video featured a figure wearing a hockey mask making explicit threats of mass violence and indiscriminate killing. Another incorporated the footage Banda allegedly captured of Crowley Middle School, raising immediate safety concerns among local authorities and school officials.
How did a 17-year-old from Fort Worth become entangled with an international extremist organization? That’s a question investigators continue to probe as they build their case against the teen.
The child pornography charges add another disturbing dimension to an already troubling case. Authorities haven’t released specific details about these charges, but they were included in the extensive list of offenses announced following Banda’s January arrest.
Community Response
The case has sent shockwaves through the Fort Worth community, particularly among parents with children attending the schools allegedly targeted in the threatening materials.
Local law enforcement has increased security measures at schools mentioned in the investigation, though they’ve emphasized there’s no evidence of an imminent threat following Banda’s arrest.
Still, the incident highlights growing concerns about online radicalization among teenagers and the increasingly global nature of extremist recruitment efforts. Banda’s case represents a troubling intersection of juvenile crime, international terrorism connections, and the exploitation of social media platforms to spread threatening content.
As the case moves forward through the justice system, it may provide valuable insights into how extremist organizations attempt to recruit young Americans and leverage them for both local criminal activities and broader propaganda purposes.
