The FBI is sounding an alarm that hits close to home for families across the Suncoast. Agents say a network of extremists known as Nihilistic Violent Extremists is recruiting children ages 11 to 18 through gaming apps, social media and chat forums, building trust before moving the conversation to encrypted platforms where parents can’t see it. FBI special agent Heith Janke described the end goal in stark terms: not money, not exploitation for profit, but a victim driven to suicide or mass violence. The bureau points to the May shooting at a San Diego mosque, where two teens killed three people after being radicalized online, as a case in point.
The scale is sobering. The FBI says it has roughly 1,700 domestic terrorism investigations underway, with a large share tied to NVE activity, and agents report the trend rising nationally. For parents, the warning signs matter most: sudden secrecy about devices, new online friends they won’t discuss, violence toward siblings or pets, and what agents call “blood signs,” including writing names in blood.
The FBI’s advice is not to panic but to stay engaged: keep calm, open communication about online dangers, monitor devices, limit contact with strangers, and report anything suspicious to the FBI. Many kids here play online daily, often with people they’ve never met in person, so a short check-in tonight could matter more than any app or filter. Have you talked with your kids or grandkids about who they’re gaming with online? Tell us on our Facebook page.
