NASHVILLE, Tenn. WZTV) — An officer safety bulletin was issued in Tennessee for a man accused of threatening to “bomb Trump supporters” in an alleged text message sent to his mother, FOX 17 News has confirmed.
The Tennessee Office of Homeland Security confirms the bulletin was issued to law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and surrounding states after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (TBI) in Memphis obtained information on Benjamin Dayton.
Homeland Security told FOX 17 News on Wednesday that authorities in Arkansas were able to make contact with Dayton, and the bulletin has since expired.
Political commentator and host of Louder with Crowder podcast Steven Crowder posted the bulletin to X on Wednesday. It states Dayton texted his mom, “Have been thinking an awful lot about rigging my van and bombing trump supporters.”
……On March 1, 2024, The Tennessee Office of Homeland Security issued an officer safety bulletin to Tennessee and surrounding states’ law enforcement agencies based on information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Field Office regarding Benjamin Dayton. Recently, law enforcement agencies in Arkansas made contact with Mr. Dayton and the bulletin was allowed to expire. Please contact the Arkansas State Police or the FBI in Arkansas for further information.
The FBI provided FOX 17 News the following statement on the incident:
“The FBI cannot comment on any specific incident. However, the FBI takes threats to the public very seriously. We work closely with our local law enforcement partners to assess and respond to threats and keep our community safe.”
At a media availability Wednesday morning, FOX 17 News asked Gov. Bill Lee about the safety bulletin on the alleged threats. He told us he wasn’t aware of it.
According to reports: Benjamin Matthew Dayton allegedly sent “concerning statements” to his mother via text message, admitting to having thoughts about harming Trump supporters. Specifically, one message stated, “Have been thinking an awful lot about rigging my van and bombing Trump supporters.”
Investigation and Findings
An initial investigation revealed that Dayton had experienced suicidal and homicidal ideations and had mentioned trying to obtain a firearm. Additionally, Dayton had an active Order of Protection issued in Waukegan, Illinois, and a criminal history including previous arrests for public drunkenness and domestic battery incidents.
Mental Health Concerns
Dayton’s parents reported that he suffers from unspecified mental health diagnoses.
Current Status
As of the search results’ cutoff date (October 12, 2024), there is no information available on Dayton’s current status, including whether he was detained, arrested, or received any further attention from law enforcement or mental health professionals.
Hopefully this motherfucker is off the streets. There’s an election coming up and fruitcakes like him should be in a padded cell.
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