James Howell is an Auditor at Clarcor Air Filtration Products Inc. James attended Ballard High School in Louisville, Kentucky and now resides in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

He supported Bernie Sanders (Politician) and avidly speaks against Hillary Clinton.

Howell is gay.

His ex-boyfriend Zach Hambrick says he would often make threats to shoot up his workplace, owned a lot of guns, and pulled a gun on him when they broke up.

In June 2016, Howell was arrested in Los Angeles, California. His white Acura was found with explosives, assault weapons, long rifles, loaded clips, a security badge, and a camouflage suit. After being arrested he told an officer that he wanted to "harm the Gay Pride event." Howell has also been charged with molesting a 12-year-old girl.

Police were tipped off by residents of a Santa Monica neighborhood saw Howell loitering and knocking on doors. Howell also told officers that he was there to "see a friend".

Police still do not know what his intent was.

“It was a misstatement,” Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez told Los Angeles Times about the chief’s initial statement that Howell meant to cause harm at the parade. “Unfortunately, she was given incorrect information initially, which indicated that that statement was made; however, that statement never was made. He did indicate that he was planning on going to the Pride festival but beyond anything as far as motives or his intentions that statement was never made nor did any officer receive that statement.”