Wash. man arrested after Facebook threat to 'shoot up' schools
SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. - Police have arrested a 19-year-old Skagit County man who threatened on Facebook to "shoot up every school within a 100-mile radius" if his gun rights were taken away after the Connecticut school massacre.
Authorities had been looking for the man, identified as Korry Martinson, 19, since Friday at about 7:20 p.m., after he allegedly posted the threat on his Facebook page, police said.
The threat was seen by several people, who reported it to the Sedro-Woolley police and the Skagit County Sheriff's Office.
Martinson's mother also was contacted by several callers. When she confronted her son about the posting, he got into an argument with her and took off before police arrived at his home.
Authorities had been looking for him ever since, and the FBI was monitoring the case, said Lt. Lin Tucker of the Sedro-Woolley Police Department.
Martinson finally turned himself in on Sunday afternoon, when a friend brought him to the Sedro-Woolley police station. He was placed under arrest and booked into the Skagit County Jail for investigation felony harassment.
A screenshot of the Facebook threat allegedly posted by Martinson said:
"Okay, so about that shooting of the little kids.
"I would personally like to thank the man who did this. You will (be) looked u pon as a hero in my eyes. You have rid the world of 20 future s------- and w-----.
"I say good riddance, and that we need more people like you. It's the government's fault as to why these things happen.
"If this causes our gun laws to be taken away, to the point as to where I cannot own a gun, I will personally get my sawed off double barreled shotgun and my AK-47 and go shoot up every school within a 100-mile radius of my current location."
Lt. Tucker said the threats shook up many people in the community.
"I've got our superintendent of the Sedro-Woolley School District talking to my boss, wondering, 'Well, should we lock down the schools? ... What should we do for school tomorrow?' I've got the director of security for Skagit Valley College asking the same questions," Tucker told KOMO Newsradio.
Tucker said it's not clear whether Martinson actually owns any guns, and he had no criminal record before making the Facebook threat.
"He's been described as, he likes to stir the pot, get people riled up, his friends said. I don't think he realized how much he was going to stir people up," Tucker said.
"I don't think he understands the can of worms he opened up. You hate to see somebody's life ruined this way, but I also hate to have a bunch of people worrying about sending their kids to school."
Martinson is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Monday in Skagit County Superior Court.
Authorities had been looking for the man, identified as Korry Martinson, 19, since Friday at about 7:20 p.m., after he allegedly posted the threat on his Facebook page, police said.
The threat was seen by several people, who reported it to the Sedro-Woolley police and the Skagit County Sheriff's Office.
Martinson's mother also was contacted by several callers. When she confronted her son about the posting, he got into an argument with her and took off before police arrived at his home.
Authorities had been looking for him ever since, and the FBI was monitoring the case, said Lt. Lin Tucker of the Sedro-Woolley Police Department.
Martinson finally turned himself in on Sunday afternoon, when a friend brought him to the Sedro-Woolley police station. He was placed under arrest and booked into the Skagit County Jail for investigation felony harassment.
A screenshot of the Facebook threat allegedly posted by Martinson said:
"Okay, so about that shooting of the little kids.
"I would personally like to thank the man who did this. You will (be) looked u pon as a hero in my eyes. You have rid the world of 20 future s------- and w-----.
"I say good riddance, and that we need more people like you. It's the government's fault as to why these things happen.
"If this causes our gun laws to be taken away, to the point as to where I cannot own a gun, I will personally get my sawed off double barreled shotgun and my AK-47 and go shoot up every school within a 100-mile radius of my current location."
Lt. Tucker said the threats shook up many people in the community.
"I've got our superintendent of the Sedro-Woolley School District talking to my boss, wondering, 'Well, should we lock down the schools? ... What should we do for school tomorrow?' I've got the director of security for Skagit Valley College asking the same questions," Tucker told KOMO Newsradio.
Tucker said it's not clear whether Martinson actually owns any guns, and he had no criminal record before making the Facebook threat.
"He's been described as, he likes to stir the pot, get people riled up, his friends said. I don't think he realized how much he was going to stir people up," Tucker said.
"I don't think he understands the can of worms he opened up. You hate to see somebody's life ruined this way, but I also hate to have a bunch of people worrying about sending their kids to school."
Martinson is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Monday in Skagit County Superior Court.
This is literally all that matters in this case.  (1) A person is guilty of harassment if:    (a) Without lawful authority, the person knowingly threatens:    (i) To cause bodily injury immediately or in the future to the person threatened or to any other person; or    (ii) To cause physical damage to the property of a person other than the actor; or    (iii) To subject the person threatened or any other person to physical confinement or restraint; or    (iv) Maliciously to do any other act which is intended to substantially harm the person threatened or another with respect to his or her physical or mental health or safety; and    (b) The person by words or conduct places the person threatened in reasonable fear that the threat will be carried out. "Words or conduct" includes, in addition to any other form of communication or conduct, the sending of an electronic communication.    (2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a person who harasses another is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.    (b) A person who harasses another is guilty of a class C felony if any of the following apply: (i) The person has previously been convicted in this or any other state of any crime of harassment, as defined in RCW9A.46.060, of the same victim or members of the victim's family or household or any person specifically named in a no-contact or no-harassment order; (ii) the person harasses another person under subsection (1)(a)(i) of this section by threatening to kill the person threatened or any other person; (iii) the person harasses a criminal justice participant who is performing his or her official duties at the time the threat is made; or (iv) the person harasses a criminal justice participant because of an action taken or decision made by the criminal justice participant during the performance of his or her official duties. For the purposes of (b)(iii) and (iv) of this subsection, the fear from the threat must be a fear that a reasonable criminal justice participant would have under all the circumstances. Threatening words do not constitute harassment if it is apparent to the criminal justice participant that the person does not have the present and future ability to carry out the threat.    (3) Any criminal justice participant who is a target for threats or harassment prohibited under subsection (2)(b)(iii) or (iv) of this section, and any family members residing with him or her, shall be eligible for the address confidentiality program created under RCW 40.24.030.    (4) For purposes of this section, a criminal justice participant includes any (a) federal, state, or local law enforcement agency employee; (b) federal, state, or local prosecuting attorney or deputy prosecuting attorney; (c) staff member of any adult corrections institution or local adult detention facility; (d) staff member of any juvenile corrections institution or local juvenile detention facility; (e) community corrections officer, probation, or parole officer; (f) member of the indeterminate sentence review board; (g) advocate from a crime victim/witness program; or (h) defense attorney.    (5) The penalties provided in this section for harassment do not preclude the victim from seeking any other remedy otherwise available under law.
There are some very messed up people on this earth.
Lock him up for awhile.
IF THE ZOMBIEÂ APOCALYPSEÂ HAPPENS, I WILL PERSONALLY SHOOT EV-ER-Y-ONE.Â
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Haul me off to jail. I like my chances in a court of LAW. Overreacting nonsense...
@PleaseBeSmart ---You are the one overreacting...typing in caps a fictional hypothetical to illustrate your point does not address the non-fictional reality of what this puke has said... said to an audience of citizens still in shock from a very cruel and very real reality. Inciting a riot is the least this punk is capable of. He needs to be locked up until he gets his day in a criminal court. How 'bout yourself?  Â
 @peace Btw, fictional hypothetical? This man was talking about a fictional hypothetical. =/ That is the reality of it.
 @peace What needs to happen is following the law to the letter. And last I checked we don't lock people up for fictional scenario "if/then" threats. It doesn't matter if people are still in shock. That's no reason for a witch hunt. And I'm sorry... I was unaware that typing a sentence in caps was more egregious than arresting someone who hasn't broken the law. How bout myself? How bout myself what?
This nut gives nuts a bad name.
=/ Saying "if something happens" then "I'll do whatever" is NOT the same as making a direct threat. It can be, but it can not be too.Â
 @PleaseBeSmart You are absolutely.  The use of the term "if" is held to negative threats under common law - particularly if the "if" is beyond the alleged culprit's ability to make come true.
@Reis Kash @PleaseBeSmart ---If it is a self-evident (tautological) fact that the "if" is NOT beyond the alleged culprits ability to shoot up a school, then should he go to jail? These days, it is apparent that just about anyone with access to a gun has such an ability. And, adulating the Conn. shooter for killing children increases the likelihood of carrying out the the threat "if" the 2nd Am falls. Too difficult for my zombie brain cells. All I know is that the Govt. owns the airwaves, and the 1st Am is interpreted by the Govt.. With such power, they can make the 2nd Am fall...and then everything else like dominoes...until the Zombie Apocalypse. This means we had better arrest PBS too just in case. LOL! Peace!
 @peace Oh please do.
@PleaseBeSmart ---and if somebody said that maybe they will shoot up your house/kids, maybe, they won't, if their terms for their own personal happiness are not met by society. Little different picture when the gun barrels may or may not be pointed at you and your loved ones.
 @peace He didn't say "maybe"... he said if gun rights fall. If the 2nd amendment falls. That's not even close.
 @peace Is that a fictional scenario or an ultimatum? =/ Logic fail.Â
@PleaseBeSmart ---and the bank robber said: "IF you don't put all the money in the bag...
This is equal to making a bomb threat... very illegal. He should never be allowed to own a gun after making such comments. As a parent and a school employee I feel anyone who thinks like this is a threat to the safety of all.Â
@Instantkarma ---Punishing this puke publicly with the harshest penalties is in HIS best interest now. Because, if this does not happen, citizens will take the law into their own hands. I would hate to see this puke's family get threatened. If he doesn't at least make an heartfelt apology, I can see vengence shining their laser pointers through his home windows, firecrackers thrown on his porch, red paintballs splattered on his parents cars, etc. Payback from all schools in a 100 mi. radius could be quite an army of spiritual warfare soldiers. An apology and a promise never to stir-up the hornets nest again will be the first step. Community service cleaning up litter in front of all those schools might be another step. Humiliation is good for the soul.
 @peace It sounds like you're condoning vengeance. Like it or not, people have no right to do those things to him.Â
 @peace I tend to follow the law exactly, and take a staunch interpretation of the Constitution. If you don't like that, you're not going to like me.
@PleaseBeSmart ---I said that I would hate to see such things. How do you interpret this as my condoning vengeance, while interpreting what the puke wrote as non-criminal? PBS, I really thought of you as a brilliant commentator up until now. But now, I think your avatar's namesake is hypocritical. Let's just see what the judge thinks. I am sure (s)he is smarter than both of us.  Â
Is it in poor taste? Absolutely. I don't see it as criminal though.
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 @peace  @PleaseBeSmart Just an FYI, felony harassment is not a real charge. It's like saying a person was found innocent, it can't happen.
@PleaseBeSmart ---you are 100% correct, our nation does not operate this way. Our nation must follow the laws, no matter how tempting a witchhunt may be. While uninvited, I have restored you to my brilliant commentators list. Your message has always been that what he did cannot be criminally prosecuted. I errored in thinking otherwise, because anger and passion clouded "my" judgement. Perhaps I will be locked up for inciting a riot, if too many people extract their revenge in the ways that I have already mentioned. So, I must agree that he need only a socially shunned tongue-lashing WITH a lot of expectorating and brow beating from his parents.
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 @peace What does it matter how many are defending this individual and how many want him locked up? That's not how this nation operates. Btw, I'm not "defending" his statement in any way other than criminal. I, personally, find them revolting and think he needs a socially shunned tongue-lashing.
@C.Stewart @PleaseBeSmart ---I don't even know what felony harassment is. I just pulled that out of my big fat "*". My concern is your defending this puke, when everybody else wants him locked up for a while. Your passion for the 2nd Am seems to be clouding your judgement. Let's see what the judge has to say.
Once again, we have the 1st Am and 2nd Am colliding with each other.
 @peace No freakin way does that fall under felony harassment. Just like if someone said "If this man shoots up schools, I'll shoot him." Sorry, but there are a lot of "if, then" scenarios where I'd shoot plenty of people, and me saying that isn't a threat.