A Zimmerman man was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison for attempting to steal guns from a pawn shop, then attempting to kill bystanders who saw him run from the scene.

Sherburne County District Court Judge Karen Schommer sentenced Manuel Richard Buck, 20. He was convicted of attempted theft, attempted burglary and attempted second-degree murder.

Buck attempted to break in to the Zimmerman Trading Post early July 10, 2021. The store’s alarms sounded, and Buck ran. He ran through a nearby yard, where witnesses saw him running and heard the alarm sounding.

Two witnesses chased Buck, who turned around and began swinging a machete. Both witnesses sustained multiple cuts from the attack. They were able to fight off Buck and detain him until law enforcement arrived.

The criminal investigation determined that Buck planned to rob the pawn store of guns and use those guns to commit a mass shooting. The FBI and Sherburne County investigators found a cache of ammunition and bomb-making materials that Buck had stashed in a Sherburne County park.

Investigators also learned of numerous instances going back to 2018 in which Buck researched previous mass shootings and discussed how he was going to carry out his own mass shooting.

“The victims are the people who placed themselves in harm’s way in this case. Their selfless actions prevented what could have been grievous harm to many others. On behalf of the citizens of this County, I extend to them my heartfelt thanks,” said County Attorney Kathleen Heaney. “I also extend my deep appreciation to our criminal justice partners who assisted us in this extensive investigation.”