Richmond, VA – A Virginia man who spent hours consuming cable news and fixating on immigration issues has been sentenced to life in federal prison for following and shooting two Latino men during what authorities described as a hate-driven, premeditated attack. Federal prosecutors said the gunman, 58-year-old Douglas Wayne Cornett, targeted the victims solely because he believed they were immigrants and was angry about what he perceived as undocumented migrants receiving government assistance.
The sentencing, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, follows Cornett’s guilty plea to two federal hate crime charges involving attempted murder, along with a firearms violation.
Judge Delivers Life Sentence After Brutal Interstate and Gas Station Attack
U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young ordered Cornett to spend the rest of his life behind bars after reviewing what prosecutors called clear evidence of racial and ethnic bias, violent intent, and an obsession with immigration grievances. Court records indicate Cornett left his Spotsylvania home on February 28, 2024, carrying a 9 mm Sig Sauer P320 equipped with a 17-round magazine before setting out on local roads and eventually Interstate 95.
Federal filings show that around 9 p.m., Cornett encountered a white box truck driven by Victim 1, a Latino man, and began honking aggressively. When the driver attempted to remain calm and allow Cornett to pass, Cornett continued following the truck off I-95 and into a nearby gas station. Prosecutors later noted this behaviour demonstrated repeated and intentional pursuit.
Confrontation Turns Violent as Gunman Opens Fire
According to the criminal complaint, Victim 1 phoned a friend — Victim 2, also Latino — and explained that a van had been following him. Victim 2 arrived at the gas station shortly after and confronted Cornett, asking why he had been trailing the box truck.
What happened next was captured clearly through witness testimony and Cornett’s own admissions. From the driver’s seat of his vehicle, Cornett asked how long Victim 1 had been in the United States. When Victim 1 replied that he had been in the country for about a year and a half, Cornett immediately pulled out the firearm and fired six shots, striking both victims.
Victim 1 suffered two gunshot wounds to the stomach and one to the arm, while Victim 2 was hit once in the stomach. Both survived but required extensive medical treatment. After the shooting, Cornett simply drove home and confessed the incident to his roommates.
Statements Reveal Deep Anti-Immigrant Motivation
When investigators arrested Cornett the next day, he swiftly admitted he had shot the men. According to statements found within documents linked through the original report, Cornett told authorities that “my intentions were clear in my brain, at the time.” He then launched into grievances about illegal immigration, claiming he was “p—ed” that undocumented migrants were receiving welfare, health insurance, and phones.
Investigators reported that Cornett asked whether he could be “charged for my thoughts,” and proceeded to describe violent fantasies, including imagining himself flying an Apache helicopter at the border and opening fire on migrants to “deter” others.
Housemates later told federal agents that Cornett was a “heavy consumer” of cable television and was “obsessed” with immigration-related news coverage. Prosecutors argued this fixation escalated into delusions that culminated in his pursuit and attempted killing of the two victims.
Hate Crimes and Firearms Sentencing Explained
Cornett pleaded guilty to:
- Two hate-crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill
- Discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence
Each hate-crime count carries a potential life sentence, and Judge Young applied the maximum penalties. Cornett also received an additional 10-year sentence for the firearms charge, which must be served consecutively.
According to the federal filing referenced in the original reporting, prosecutors emphasised that Cornett’s conduct involved both targeted bias and a clear intent to kill, elements that prompted the severe sentencing.
A Case Highlighting the Rise of Ideology-Fuelled Attacks
The case has drawn attention because of its intersection with immigration rhetoric, cable news influence, and hate-motivated violence. Experts note that many ideological attacks begin not with organised groups but with individuals consuming large amounts of polarising content, becoming increasingly radicalised in private before acting out violently.
For communities across Virginia and the nation, incidents like this reinforce ongoing concerns about:
- Increasingly hostile rhetoric targeting immigrants
- Lone-actor extremism driven by misinformation
- Escalation from verbal grievances to violent action
Law enforcement agencies continue to track hate-crime trends, with federal prosecutors emphasising that protecting vulnerable communities remains a national priority.
Final Outlook
Cornett’s life sentence underscores the seriousness with which federal courts treat racially and ethnically motivated violence. For the two victims, the ruling brings a measure of justice, though both continue recovering from the physical and emotional trauma inflicted that night.
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