Very Strange (and Scary?) Email

Over the weekend, I received a very odd email. The sender is identified as accounts@ar15.com and the subject of the message is “HITLIST”. In case you don’t remember, an AR15 is the type of gun used in the Sandy Hook massacre. And in Aurora. And in Santa Monica. And the Sikh temple in Wisconsin. And other tragedies. AR15.com is apparently a gun enthusiast website.

The email has no introduction or real message. It just starts with ALABAMA and is followed by a list of names and addresses, some with a question mark preceding the name. The list goes through all fifty states. Here is the entry for Indiana (though I’ve redacted the actual addresses):

INDIANA

DANNY L BURTON, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46236
?DANNY L BURTON, xxxxx, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314
?DANNY L BURTON, xxxxx, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314

JOSEPH S DONNELLY, xxxxx, GRANGER, IN 46530

?RICHARD G LUGAR, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204
?RICHARD G LUGAR, xxxxx, VALPARAISO, IN 46383-5558
?RICHARD G LUGAR, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46236-2865
?RICHARD G LUGAR, xxxxx, ARLINGTON, VA 22201
?RICHARD G LUGAR, xxxxx, MC LEAN, VA 22102-2425
?RICHARD G LUGAR, xxxxx, JOHNS ISLAND, SC 29455-5421

MICHAEL R PENCE, xxxxx, COLUMBUS, IN 47203

PETER J VISCLOSKY, xxxxx, MERRILLVILLE, IN 46410
?PETER J VISCLOSKY, xxxxx, MERRILLVILLE, IN 46410-9202
?PETER J VISCLOSKY, xxxxx, MERRILLVILLE, IN 46410-5529
?PETER J VISCLOSKY, xxxxx, SILVER SPRING, MD 20901

LARRY D BUCSHON, xxxxx, NEWBURGH, IN 47630-8730
?LARRY D BUCSHON, xxxxx, NEWBURGH, IN 47630
?LARRY D BUCSHON, xxxxx, EVANSVILLE, IN 47714
?LARRY D BUCSHON, xxxxx, EVANSVILLE, IN 47714

?ANDRE D CARSON, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46208-4115
?ANDRE D CARSON, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46205-4213
?ANDRE D CARSON, xxxxx, WASHINGTON, DC 20024-4503

?DANIEL R COATS, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46220
?DANIEL R COATS, xxxxx, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22043-1754
?DANIEL R COATS, xxxxx, FORT WAYNE, IN 46805
?DANIEL R COATS, xxxxx, FORT WAYNE, IN 46815

THEO ROKITA, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46220
?THEO ROKITA, xxxxx, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46234

CHRISTY M STUTZMAN, xxxxx, HOWE, IN 46746
?CHRISTY M STUTZMAN, xxxxx, FORT WAYNE, IN 46804
?CHRISTY M STUTZMAN, xxxxx, IN 46746

TODD C YOUNG, xxxxx, BLOOMINGTON, IN 47401-7154

JACKIE WALORSKI, xxxxx, ELKHART, IN 46517

LUKE MESSER, xxxxx, SHELBYVILLE, IN 46176

So do the names on that list look familiar? They should. It appears to be a not quite accurate list of Indiana’s Congressional delegation (Mike Pence, Dan Burton, and Richard Lugar are no longer members of Indiana’s delegation; Susan Brooks who is, is omitted from the list). I don’t know if those addresses are correct.

What is the purpose of this list? Why is it being emailed? Who is it being emailed to?

I spent a few minutes looking around online, but wasn’t able to find any good answers. Not surprisingly, a website for fans of Ron Paul has speculation that the email is from a pro-gun control group and is meant to sow fear in order to get gun control passed.

Maybe. But I doubt it.

I also doubt that it’s really supposed to be a “hitlist” for foes of the government to use to track down members of Congress at their homes. At least I hope it isn’t.

Nevertheless, this email caught my attention and not in a good way.

I’m curious to know if anyone else has received this email or knows anything more about its origin or purpose.