A Florida man who threatened to shoot up a Florida synagogue was arrested Friday in Volusia County, law enforcement officials say.
The FBI and Volusia County Sheriff's Office charged Hanson Larkin, 25, with making threats using interstate communication. Larkin made numerous threats about killing Jews, court documents show.
According to the complaint affidavit, Larkin made the threats to persuade another individual to meet him in Miami. The individual continued to rebuff Larkin's advances but the DeLand, Florida resident's text messages just kept escalating.
On Aug. 6, Larkin texted that he would break into the individual's house and disfigure their Barbie dolls. On Aug. 25, he sent the individual their address followed by "I'm coming right now." The next string of messages got increasingly more threatening.
_ " ... I bought a gun with my first paycheck If I don't meet you I will be forced to use it."
_ "If meeting me for five seconds is not worth the lives of multiple Jews then I have no other option."
_ "There's a Chabad near me. And Amtrak has no security for weapons. Don't make me make a choice they'll regret."
_ " ... I want to smell your fear."
The individual called the authorities who later contacted the FBI, the affidavit says. FBI agents arrested Larkin in Daytona Beach Friday morning without incident, a press release says. Court records show he's currently being held at a detention center in Orlando.
If convicted, Larkin could be behind bars for up to five years.
