The sole suspect in a crossbow attack that badly injured two women in Leeds, who counter-terror police had identified as having died of a self-inflicted wound, shared a screed promising a massacre that drew inspiration from the Christchurch terrorist who murdered 51 Muslims in New Zealand in 2019.
Police had detained 38-year-old Owen Lawrence after two women, aged 19 and 31, suffered serious injuries following a crossbow attack on Otley Road in Headingley on Saturday.
Counter-terror police had assumed the lead in the investigation, concluding that Lawrence had written a screed on Facebook indicating a list of targets and citing the Christchurch terrorist as inspiration.
The two women received hospital treatment, one of whom faced life-threatening injuries but now remains in stable condition, as staff discharged the other woman.
Various Facebook posts from two accounts linked to Owen Lawrence paint a disturbing image of a man driven by misogyny and far-right views, who also displayed a deep fascination and admiration for mass murderers, including the Columbine and Saugus High School shooters. Lawrence declared his admiration for other mass shooters, including Pekka-Eric Auvinen, a Finnish school shooter who praised Hitler and murdered six fellow pupils, the principal and the school nurse in 2007.
Over several years, Owen Lawrence praised or drew attention to various far-right terrorists, including Anders Breivik in 2021, Stephan Balliet (in 2021 and 2023, respectively), and the Christchurch terrorist (2025).
In different posts, across various years, he discussed the far-right conspiracy of the so-called “Great Replacement” and how the Christchurch terrorist’s 74-page white supremacist screed shaped his extremist worldview.
He also admitted to enjoying “flirting with far right ideas.”
Lawrence openly praised other mass shooters, including Randy Stair, adding that he “identified with him a lot.”
In November 2023, Lawrence changed his Facebook cover photo to an image of himself performing a Nazi salute. Months earlier, he admitted watching Balliet’s synagogue terror attack in Germany on a now-defunct gore website, which we are declining to name as a mirrored and active version of the website still exists.
Around that time in early November 2023, he alluded to a possible arrest over an alleged assault, suggesting that his recent beard growth related to him appearing in a police lineup, as he ranted about “defending himself”. It is unclear, however, if such an arrest did occur or how much West Yorkshire Police knew about Lawrence before the crossbow attack.
On April 22, 2024, he shared a Vice News video about the terrifying phenomena of the far-right conspiracy of the so-called “Great Replacement”, which inspired various acts of terrorism and mass violence with the caption, “thinking about making a change.”
Credit: Facebook
In 2022, he ranted against the “rats” undermining society, and evoked antisemitic conspiracies with references to so-called “cultural Marxism.”
Lawrence called feminism a “cancer” and wrote openly about his hatred of gender equality and all forms of feminism and his hatred of bisexual relationships, celebrities and society. His Facebook screed listed his attack plan as “spree killings, mass murder, terrorism, and misogynistic rage.”
In a statement, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley said: “Officers will continue to conduct enquiries and we ask that if anyone has information that may assist, to pass this to police.
“We understand there are concerns around the incident and questions about how and why this has happened. Our teams are committed to carrying out an in-depth investigation to provide answers to those affected.
“We continue to work closely with West Yorkshire Police to support the local community and thank residents for their support and understanding over the weekend.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this incident.”