The FBI has arrested a man in Texas named Joshua Cole after he was accused of threatening to commit a shooting at a local pride event.
Cole created suspicion when he commented on a Facebook post that contained details about an upcoming pride event in Abilene, Texas, writing, “fk their parade.” He also said he wanted to “pay them back for taking out Charlie Kirk,” according to an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on September 19, per CBS News.
While writing under the name of “Jay Dubya,” Cole also allegedly wrote, “There’s only like 30 of em we can send a clear message to the rest of them.”
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Cole admitted he runs the Facebook account under the name “Jay Dubya” when the Abilene Police Department made a traffic stop on him. He also admitted to being behind the comments, according to the criminal complaint viewed by CBS News.
While speaking to the officers, Cole said he did not believe that the gay pride event should be allowed. However, he denied that he was going to shoot parade participants, per the documents.
Cole also admitted that he has a firearm, though it’s not currently clear if he legally owns it.
“The threats were not conditional. The threats were specific,” FBI Special Agent Samuel C. Venuti wrote in the affidavit, per CBS News. “The threats were also specific to a particular set of victims: people participating in the gay pride parade tomorrow. With this level of specificity, COLE’s comments were not mere idle or careless talk, exaggeration, or something said in only a joking manner.”
Venuti went on to explain that he visited Cole’s former employer, who told him he recently quit his job and “stormed out of the facility in anger.” His coworkers’ described him as a “hot head,” while it was noted that he worked at the company for over one year.
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Cole was booked in Taylor County Jail in Abilene on September 19, according to jail records viewed by Life & Style. He was later released on September 24.
However, the court determined on September 25 that Cole must be detained pending trial due to his prior criminal history, the weight of evidence against him and that he’s believed to be a “serious danger to any person or the community,” per CBS News.
Nearly one week after the incident, the Abilene Pride Alliance took to Facebook to issue a statement about Cole’s threats. “We want to reassure our community that the safety of everyone at Pride has always been, and will continue to be our top priority,” the organization wrote on September 27. “The swift action and continued diligence of APD and federal partners reflect their commitment to protecting our city and ensuring that Pride remains a safe, inclusive and celebratory space for all.”
The organization added that they asked for help to strengthen security at the event, sharing that they received over $4,000 in donations.
“We want to reassure our community that the safety of everyone at Pride has always been, and will continue to be our top priority,” the post said. “The swift action and continued diligence of APD and federal partners reflect their commitment to protecting our city and ensuring that Pride remains a safe, inclusive and celebratory space for all.”
