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Authorities on Maryland man's workplace shooting threat

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    Cops: We take all threats seriously

  • Duration 19:36
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My name her the director of media relations for the prince George's county police.

We are here this afternoon announced thwarted terrorists -- This is a joint effort between prince George's county police department the and a run -- -- apartment and the AT -- We're going to begin with prince George -- chief McGraw.

Good afternoon.

First pitch here from your from -- can stay.

In -- -- -- -- and for our openness.

On this case.

Well want to do is lay out a broad umbrella of what happened over the last 36 hours.

And we'll bring up different means of Anderson to -- piece it together forward.

But initially on Wednesday the -- fifth.

This agency received a call all the patrol officers responded out to 94 or 91 DEC or -- To -- -- -- the business federal contractor.

It was -- control losses that that time that an individual who's in the process of being fired.

Was evolved in two separate conversations.

With the supervisor.

Both of those times on both those.

Telephone conversations.

He made some significant threats.

-- coming back and -- people at the at the business.

In fact -- settlement Obama Joker.

And -- -- my guns and blow everyone out.

That initiated a 36 hour investigation.

That culminated early this morning.

Yesterday afternoon -- district court judge.

Issued a court order for this individual.

For mental evaluation.

And -- search warrant for his address.

In light of what happened a week ago the -- Colorado.

It's important to know the community to know that we take all threats seriously.

If you gotta make a threat.

We will take action.

-- like to do now is bring up -- just went skiing the kind of walk through the program but the progression of last 636 hours and now we'll go from there.

Good afternoon.

The chief has already.

Explained the means by which all initial -- our attention.

Win.

The urge to see that matter can you skated up the chain and it -- -- And you'll -- Are they initial vary -- work with their investigative component to begin this investigate.

They set -- to -- -- be growth for -- -- And captain mark Alexander.

And our team and then joined their efforts we assess this into the seriousness of it.

And we immediately concluded that it went beyond the borders of the shortest county and -- apps.

It became a federal issue because of the nature of the -- is that was threatened.

We subsequently reached out to major Ed Burke -- -- countless apartment and began coordinating this effort.

As the chief said the threats were made multiple times.

On this -- phone call -- And it was acknowledged by this individual.

That I didn't think it was a good idea to be saying these things they were saying in the anyway it's.

-- As that piece came together.

The investigation moved to the residents being a center for -- -- And -- -- was instrumental in helping us to build this case because.

During a field interview with their officers the individual was wearing a T shirt that said guns don't kill people.

I do.

So the multiple threats the nature of the threats.

And that action together led us to a place where we could get an emergency petition again.

The message here is that if you call your business if you call a loved -- if you call anybody -- threatened to do harm.

Kill people we're going to believe you and we did.

At that point the petition was obtained search for was obtained and then and -- and our officers both intelligence officers and detectives again coordinated.

And we served the rumors fish on the individual and the search for at this point I'm gonna turn over -- Bergen who's gonna talk about.

How and -- did that operational piece of it.

As we handed it off.

Pittsburgh.

Good afternoon my -- major Edward Bergen with the general accounting police department.

Yesterday when.

The -- called us and we collaborated on operation plan for this.

Individual.

Was very -- -- involved a lot of lot of planning and -- quick response team was gather which would be our swat team.

Along with our conflict negotiation team.

We began the planning with in the early evening hours.

And we executed the search warrant an entry into the residence.

In the 16100 block of Park Ridge circle and -- the Maryland.

At approximately.

3 warning in the morning.

They went down without incident.

The individual surrender to us we took come based on the petition.

For medical treatment to the Enron accounting medical center.

And as last as he was there.

-- in his treatment today.

Was without interest.

It like it's it was without an instant.

Once we -- the residents however we did discover a large -- of weapons and ammunition.

At that point ATF was on the scene with us along with members of the prince George's county police department.

And we turn that investigation also have to ATF.

And like to bring them in right now so they can discuss what was taken -- -- the residents.

Thank you.

I'm Sean -- -- equity TF and both of illusion.

We were contacted last night can pursuant to this event.

Noting -- solar farms recover from his residence of one of a local office office has responded immediately.

We have several agents out there -- on the scene they evaluated the evidence they recovered approximately five firearms several thousand rounds of ammunition.

The farms a -- described as semiautomatic rifles.

Semiautomatic pistols.

Our partners here -- O'Neal and prince George county.

We're doing this just -- jointly.

Violent crime suppression is our primary focus is ATF.

And we were called we merely responded and and work with our partners.

Reviewing the evidence right now we're looking at all possible -- whether state -- federal.

And that information is slowly come to -- so right now investigations ongoing.

And as we get more information we'll pass that along.

This point -- I just -- -- a moment to thank my peer lieutenant colonel electable as -- patrol.

Without patrol and and my girl working together and then panel Tammy in the ATF we -- -- accomplish this.

It literally was a multi jurisdictional effort and it was pulled together over the course -- four hours.

And I believe to a very successful resolution in addition to what the a set from ATF has said there are additional charges under review -- our State's attorney's office.

And with that I'm gonna turn over to chief move ought to somehow.

Good afternoon.

-- -- in -- county police department.

Want to specifically thank chief -- and prince George's county police department.

The ATF special agent in charge Benedict that cooperation.

All the way down from the officer receiving the information so tenacity of the detective bringing forth -- ability to be able to sort of sort warrant.

And share that information with Enron accounting.

I believe -- ordered some serious violence the could've happened.

And certainly potentially save lives and sort thank you so much for your.

All the hard work and -- police departments cooperation with Enron -- really appreciate it.

One issues you can't.

We can't measure what was prevented here.

But what was going on over last 36 hours was a significant incident in the county and we think.

A violent episode was.

Was avoided because of cooperation and collaboration.

Of our police department in -- -- and our federal partners ATF.

Before we open -- up to questions.

Due to the volume of media interest in this I'd like to encourage everyone to please if you can refrain from calling the media relations division.

-- the fastest way we can get you the information as this.

Story unfolds.

Is to put it out.

In our usual manner through social media and through email also please check out the the police departments.

Our Twitter account for your fastest source of information which is PG PD news.

What this will open up the floor to questions.

-- -- -- -- -- -- A lot of that information war.

Putting together now.

He did work for that facility for several years.

Some information we can't -- -- right now in reference to the specific identity because there's charges pending.

Right now.

The only thing -- he's being held on is that emergency commitment from the judge.

So that's and that's what led up to Julie's remarks -- we wanted to get this -- We've got pictures of the weapons that recover from the house.

-- we wanted to get it out and let you know that.

What we believe was a significant threat has been -- And as time goes on later today tomorrow will be able to give you incremental information.

Good.

-- -- Well I can't confirm what Pitney -- soldiers.

Our understanding is he was an employee with -- bowl -- blows wouldn't get into subcontractor.

You know actual -- for the TA but dumb.

The -- part of the question.

Right well what he said specifically on the phone and what was related to -- Obama Joker.

With in light of what's recently happened.

I think it's it's fairly obvious and that's -- we took it.

And that's what -- Vince said here today is is in light of what's gone over -- all over the country.

Specifically Aurora.

-- way any kind of threats were to consider -- running down and and we believe this was significant threat.

Basal some of those the mental issues this individual has the weapon capability dad what he said to the employees are at -- Pitney Bowes.

I don't have -- -- from.

It's 45 we have a picture of what was recovered that we'll get to you you can have well.

-- You have picture semiautomatic weapons and ATF can talk specifically more about the weapons.

If you want them tomorrow.

-- -- -- -- -- Yes it was a supervisor the the original patrol officer spoke to that supervisor.

About the conversation he had with this individual.

That's my understanding yes it was in the process.

Yes he was he was the only one in the residence and not actually we make contact by telephone -- wanna go and all the tactics that we utilize.

But we did have to do a partial evacuation.

Of the apartment complex.

Because the safety of the community came first along with the officers that -- -- in this search warrant in this petition.

But he was the only one inside the residence yes.

That we're not sure of I think we were surprised by the amount and the types of weapons inside that residence.

No it or not at this time.

-- -- With with the basis of the emergency petition we didn't.

Conduct an interview with the -- the suspect at that point in time the individual the most important thing was his.

His medical stayed at that time and he's immediately transported to the hospital because that's our first concern.

-- -- Well.

I think when any when any individuals a danger to themselves or others.

The law gives us the ability to obtain emergency petition.

Which allows us for the protection of this individual so he doesn't do harm to himself for someone else.

And that that comes a priority over any criminal charges.

I believe his demeanor was it was very quiet.

He was cooperative.

And he was taken without incident.

I don't have those details at this time but to have that evaluation I think -- that would be all.

Under the -- -- loss that we wouldn't get into that anyway.

That would be -- -- -- -- and it's become.

Thank you.

We had no specific.

-- timetable.

But we took it as it was going to be imminent.

Based phone conversation with the employees have been in those and we -- on on that threat.

It I don't know if there was a hard -- ever given to those who was in the process.

Of being fired I think I believe the first conversation was.

The telephone call was about going to be about that.

And then it it spun off into.

Threats towards towards implore.

I.

Now so I don't know specifically.

-- -- It it.

That's within one -- when the course.

Our offices went out there on yesterday's date.

This is part of the idea investigation with Prince George's County -- we were clamoring them and went to the -- -- met with him.

Talk with them had conversation with him at.

At his residence.

And that's when -- officers we're able to document what was on the T shirt and what he was wearing.

At the time.

That -- that is that there hasn't been an arrest that was before the we took him into custody for the petition -- and that was.

Earlier in the day on the 26.

We'll be back and -- Out.

There.

I think we try to take every consideration into mine in a situation like this we believe we were dealing with possible a dangerous individual.

So we took all safety precaution as possible.

When dealing with with this individual.

When you deal with the the swat teams they each -- They're very careful and what they do they just don't go into any place blind they try not to and that and their tactics reveal that.

-- -- it was a contact -- just regular field contact that's correct.

I think we ramp -- up based on the intelligence -- there the behavior that was gathered from the interview the T shirt.

Collaborating with Prince George's County the seriousness whenever when it all came together yes I think it was determined that.

Based on our it was our determination Enron accounting that we would utilize the quick response team.

All that would be part of an investigation that we would reveal at this time.

But the weapons were there but there wasn't anything significant of that that I can that I can recall that was given.

That stands out.

That would be -- to -- -- can police department.

Word out of position to confirm the name at this point there's pending charges right now being reviewed as we speak with the State's attorney's office.

Possibly later the sometime today.

What -- -- in response to that and it goes back to question you answer.

He was an ongoing in collaborative investigation no single action was the predicate for.

The emergency petition it was the first series of phone calls the second series of phone calls the increasing.

Tenor of the threat.

The T shirt the demeanor.

And the collaboration between our officers conducting an investigation.

Com those particular questions if you're asking again as the chief who says I've said.

There are pending charge of the policies -- being reviewed and we're going to not reveal any further about that because it is an ongoing investigation and frankly we.

And -- in the ATF are still pursuing this because there are questions that we want to answer and there are going to be answered over the next.

Point four -- 72 hours.

If it.

Now again our officers receive this from the victims and -- officers were on the scene collaborating with us.

And they believe it's my knowledge.

That -- fault the individual posed a threat and again the totality of the circumstances between the phone calls between the -- interview all of those things are what led a judge to say yes this individual seems to pose a threat to himself for the public.

And an emergency petition -- current.

We're gonna we're gonna wrap this up for the photographers the photos of the guns that -- used are in the back of the around as for any additional developments.

Please keep in mind that everything will come out first on Twitter.

PG PD news is where you'll find the latest on this case eventually we'll get it all emailed to you but I suggest you had their first thank you very much appreciate it.

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