A formerly affluent suburban community in California's inland empire is hit hard by a series of brutal home invasions and murders. At first, it appears as if the killings are gang related - the bodies of young black men with drugs in their system are found dead in the houses of the murdered families. But the BAU soon comes to the realization that these scenes are elaborately staged - someone is trying to incite a race war. With the local mayoral race heating up, the team's first lead is to look at the staff of a candidate who is using the killings to successfully push a campaign of racism and fear.