The Zizians are a group of followers of Jack LaSota, a computer
scientist who has blogged as “Ziz” on subjects including
veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence. The group
mostly consists of computer scientists who met online, shared
anarchist beliefs and became increasingly violent.
Youngblut and Bauckholt were both affiliated with the group,
which authorities have also linked to killings in Pennsylvania
and California. Youngblut has pleaded not guilty to charges of
intentionally using a deadly weapon towards law enforcement, and
using and discharging a firearm during an assault with a deadly
weapon.
The Tuesday federal court appearance is a discovery hearing in
Burlington. Discovery is a pre-trial proceeding in which both
sides of a case exchange evidence and information.
Both sides declined to comment in advance of the court date. The
office of Steven Barth, who has represented Youngblut, said it
had no comment on the case. Fabienne Boisvert-DeFazio, a
spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of
Vermont, said the office “does not comment on ongoing cases
beyond the public record.”
In Vermont, authorities had been watching Youngblut for several
days after she and Bauckholt checked into a hotel wearing black
tactical gear and carrying guns. Local border patrol agents also
were told that Bauckholt was a German citizen with unknown
immigration status. Authorities said Youngblut shot Maland after
being pulled over.
The shootout was one of several violent incidents that has been
linked to the Zizians. Members of the group have been tied to
the death of one of their own during an attack on California
landlord Curtis Lind in 2022, Lind's subsequent killing, and the
deaths of a Pennsylvania couple.
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