TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Officials addressed recent threat investigations, according to FBI Tampa.
U.S. Attorney-Middle District of Florida Roger Handberg addressed threats of mass shootings, rape, murder, genocide, and other violent acts over the past year and a half.
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The office has federally charged 27 defendants for their threats. Nine of them were charged in 2022, 15 of them in 2023, and three of them in 2024.
The defendants all threatened to harm or kill people they know, strangers, families, and kids. Among those were elected officials, judges, and other public officials. Some would threaten specific people, or groups of people.
The threats were fueled by hate of one’s religion, race, and sexual orientation. Handberg said the criminals would threaten people through mail, in-person, or over the phone.
“There has been a disturbing trend of hate crimes,” Handberg said. “If you threaten somebody with violence, law enforcement will take you at your word. And if you commit a crime based on hate, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those crimes, too. Law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors will act quickly to disrupt true threats and hate-based crimes by charging you in federal court.”