A group called the Socialist Rifle Association (SRA), which claims over 10,000 members, has been linked to at least four violent crimes involving far-left and transgender extremists, according to a new report. The group has gained attention for offering firearms training sessions targeted toward socialists and LGBTQ activists. Following the release of the report, the group’s leadership page was redirected to a meme video, seemingly to dodge scrutiny.
Despite the website’s attempt to mask leadership information, archived versions still show officer names and contact information as recently as mid-August. The current “leadership” link now leads to a Rick Astley music video in an apparent attempt at humor or misdirection. Archived pages reveal that many of the group’s leaders identify as nonbinary or transgender and go only by their first names.
New members of the SRA receive membership cards printed with radical slogans such as, “Any attempt to disarm workers must be frustrated, by force if necessary,” alongside a portrait of Karl Marx. Group materials and imagery show flags combining pro-transgender messaging with militant rhetoric like “defend equality,” and video clips indicate training that resembles combat preparation more than personal defense.
The SRA has now been linked to four criminal cases. In Texas, Benjamin Hanil Song, a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter, was charged with shooting a Department of Homeland Security officer near an ICE facility. In Las Vegas, Paul Hyon Kim was arrested for allegedly setting fire to five Teslas and opening fire on the dealership. Prosecutors tied Kim to the SRA via social media activity and photos.
Another suspect, Adam Matthew Lansky, allegedly firebombed a Tesla dealership in Oregon. Charging documents stated that Lansky was a skilled shooter and a former SRA member, with expertise in manufacturing incendiary devices. In Florida, Danel Alan Baker was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for violent threats against individuals he labeled as fascists and for attempting to incite armed retaliation against those involved in the January 6 protest.
Baker had previously traveled overseas to join a militant faction in Kurdistan, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Prosecutors said Baker promoted the killing of U.S. military officers and incited violence online against ideological opponents.
The Utah chapter of the SRA denied that Tyler Robinson, who is charged with assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, was a member. However, when asked whether Robinson’s transgender partner, Lance Twiggs, was affiliated with the group, the chapter cited confidentiality policies and declined to answer.
As scrutiny grows, the SRA continues to face questions about the nature of its training, membership, and ties to far-left extremism. Calls for law enforcement investigations into the organization’s activities are likely to increase following these disturbing revelations.
