Grand Jury Indicts Four More in University of Michigan Threats Case, Bringing Total to 12

A federal grand jury has indicted four additional defendants in a case alleging a conspiracy to threaten University of Michigan leaders, law enforcement and a Jewish organization. The superseding indictment was unsealed on Friday, October 30, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said. The new charges bring the total number of defendants indicted in the case to twelve.

The four newly charged individuals are Henry David MacKeen-Shapiro, 23, Aaron Hunter Vonbargen, 25, Joseph Mark Fisher, 23, and Srishti Tarana Sharma, 23. Prosecutors said MacKeen-Shapiro and Vonbargen were arrested this week and were expected to make their initial court appearance and be arraigned in federal court in Detroit on Friday. Fisher and Sharma remained at large.

Twelve defendants in total

The June case named eight other defendants: Zainab Aliasgar Hakim, Amatullah Aliasgar Hakim, Paige Elizabeth Feyock, Ahmetkerem Korkaya, Jonathan Hongru Zou, Alexander Matthew Sepulveda, Mariam Muhammed Odeh and Colin Hunter Weger. With the four names added on Friday, a federal grand jury has now indicted twelve defendants in total, according to the Detroit Free Press report of the unsealing.

What the indictment alleges

According to the superseding indictment, the defendants and unindicted conspirators developed detailed plans to intimidate the University of Michigan and multiple private sector entities into severing any perceived affiliation with the State of Israel, following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. The indictment alleges the conspirators used encrypted messaging, social media and overseas collaboration tools to research and target victims.

The alleged activity included spray-painting threats, breaking windows and throwing glass jars filled with noxious chemicals into family homes. Targets named by the Department of Justice include the Jewish Federation of Detroit, two University of Michigan regents and other university leadership, a university police lieutenant, a university student and two businesses with perceived ties to Israel.

U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. said: "These alleged attempts to terrorize our Jewish community and government officials are nothing new. From Pharaoh to Hitler to Hamas, those who terrorize Jews have been the bad guys. As Americans, our job is to fight the bad guys."

Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said: "Those who believe they can threaten families, hide behind a group, and avoid accountability should think again. Justice will find you."

Penalties and next steps

Most charges are felonies with maximum penalties of up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Hakim and Feyock face a witness intimidation charge carrying a maximum of 20 years, the Detroit Free Press reported.

None of the four new defendants could be reached for comment, and no attorneys of record were listed yet in the court file. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MacKeen-Shapiro was one of seven protesters charged in 2024 in state court over an encampment on the Diag at the University of Michigan. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel eventually dropped those state charges.