A Columbus, Ohio man who worked as a security guard for a Jewish school was charged with making terrorist threats after he posted antisemitic content on social media.
According to 10WBNS, court documents said that Thomas Develin, 24, posted selfies with a semi-automatic handgun on March 11 on the social media platform, Discord. He also wrote statements such as, “I’m at a Jewish school and about to make it everyone’s problem” and "The playground is about to turn into a self-defense situation."
Court documents also revealed that Develin posted that he "wanted to shoot parents coming to pick up their children."
At the time, Develin was working as a security guard for Columbus Torah Academy in east Columbus.
JewishColumbus called the suspect’s alleged posts a "cowardly act of intimidation.”
"For far too long Jews have been mentally and physically intimidated in spaces online, at schools, universities and in our community," they wrote in a statement. "Virulent antisemitic rhetoric breeds extremism and has no place in our community."
The organization added: ”We stand resolute against antisemitism and remain committed to safeguarding our institutions. It is our right to live peacefully as Jews and we will not cower to intimidation. Our Jewish community is here to stay and we will not be silenced."
The Columbus Torah Academy told 10WBNS that they are not presently at risk. The school is currently being provided with security from the Columbus Police.
“For a security guard at a Jewish school to allegedly make deadly, terroristic threats is unthinkable. First and foremost, we are thankful that no lives were taken,” ADL Cleveland said on Twitter. “This is yet another sobering reminder that antisemitism left unchecked breeds extremism and violence. Antisemitism has no place in Columbus, Ohio, or anywhere.”
“We will continue to work tirelessly to stamp out antisemitism whenever, and wherever we see it,” they added.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)