WICHITA, Kan. — A retired firefighter who was upset with Wichita’s mask ordinance was arrested on suspicion of threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor of Kansas’ largest city, authorities said.
Police said the 59-year-old suspect who was arrested Friday could face a charge of criminal threat, the Wichita EagleWichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, a Democrat, said someone had read him text messages received by another city official that asked about the mayor’s address and threatened his life. “He said he was going to kidnap me and slash my throat and he needed my address because I needed to see the hangman — me and everyone who, something about tyranny,” Whipple said.“It sounded like the person was very upset about pretty much mask mandates and he said something about not being able to see his mother because of COVID restrictions on elderly homes,” he said.
Wichita police spokesman Charley Davidson said that no other local officials are believed to have been targeted.Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Authorities allege members of two anti-government paramilitary groups took part in plotting in that case. Six men are charged in federal court with conspiring to kidnap the Democratic governor. Eight others are charged in state court with counts including providing material support for terrorist acts.
AP please 🙏
Over an ideology.
Who would have thought that an ex-firefighter would self-immolate over a mask ordinance?
Mehitabel1234 Five years ago the plot by a rightwing domestic terrorist to assassinate a mayor would have been top breaking news everywhere. Instead, half the media is talking about a rightwing conspiracy theory about Hunter Biden's emails that falls apart if you look at the metadata sideways
Why was he upset with the mask ordinance? We have known for a long time that masks work to prevent the spread of illness. So why not wear one to help stop the spread of COVID19? No one should be upset about wearing a mask! 😷
dutchiegirlie It’s gross out here in the Midwest, I live in Missouri but right by state line to Kansas. There are people here defending the Michigan kidnapping plot, yet claim to be law and order people. They don’t like education and facts either. Fake patriots with a false sense of freedom
dutchiegirlie Elrr18235880 anyone hear from archie lately?
Dude you are going to a jail over a mask. How crazy is that?
Lock him up!!!
chrislhayes I haven't read the story yet, but imagine going to jail over masks.
WTF is wrong with these people. As a family member of a firefighting family, big shame on that firefighter.
CuomoElia So far, IMO, the quality of men that support Trump and his brand of business...Sucks! Bigly!! I’d just as soon be celibate! Thanks but Noooo Thanks!
He’s not part of MY brotherhood.
5sisters4ever It doesn’t matter who you are when someone threatens to viciously murder you, you are going to be shaken and frightened
5sisters4ever Omg the man either needs to be assessed mentally or if was really going to go through it, then jail. Such a shame as he was a firefighter so he used to be a brave and good man once😢💕
Ready4NextPOTUS Bet that dude wore a uniform, though. And a fire retardant suit when he went in a burning building. Even breathing apparatus if needed. All without question or complaint. But a fucking mask to protect himself and others?Hell to the no! And he’s gonna get his gun and show them!
Ready4NextPOTUS trumps America
Better be careful.....you could put yourself in heap of trouble over a little bit of emotion. Then you're screwed for the rest of your life. Threats are serious, too. Another heap of trouble. Wonder how this is going to play out.
TF is wrong with these people
Resorting to violence to get what they want all over wearing a mask🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️
He needs to IMMEDIATELY forfeit his FIREMAN’S RETIREMENT check or they need to revoke his pension and thrown in prison. People need to start being made examples of when they choose to partake in terrorist behavior.
Lock him up
soapdemon34 There are no words
Too much smoke inhalation.
Jesus just get food delivered if you hate it that much
Stupid people do stupid things.
I wonder where he got that idea.
m3bl4kk4t These kidnapping cases on tRump 😡
They are getting crazier and crazier!
wendid27 WTF is happening in this country 😠 TrumpEra
IT IS A FUCKING MASK. Jesus Christ.
I think these people with kidnapping plans think they are going to be martyrs but instead just ruining their lives
take away his pension
How disgraceful!
Thanks Trump.
Y'all thought it was a one time thing...this shit gonna get waaaaaaay worse....
The headline description is awfully sweet for a terrorist.
HilbillyLiberal People are so damn dumb. It hard not to feel hopeless about America
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
donwinslow Completely rational
donwinslow Gee, wonder where he got that idea?
Charles_BSwans I don't think people can be more ignorant. Its Proof that a dumbing down of Americans has occured in 4 longest years of our lives
“He’s a Christian” God bless the Stupid they know Not what they are doing.
75% of Wichita doesn't even know who the mayor is
ThatAryeGross I like 'retired firefighters' who understand the importance of public safety, and also don't try to kidnap governors.
No arrests made for all the celebrities threatening the President or blowing up the White House?
TheNakedParty Surprised it hasn’t happened here in Tulsa with the mayor and the leader of the county health department. One just needs to read the lunatics comments under any Facebook post about city COVID news.
Seriously 😒 over a 😷 people have truly lost their freekin minds!
woodruff_oliver When does trump invite him to a rally as a special guest?
That lead pollution from years ago still affects people. Something is poisonous in America. Not kool-aid either...
Seems like there's a lot of angry Trump supporters plotting the murder of Democrats lately. Seems like a pattern. I wonder what's triggering them.
KOCOAbigail Wow A domestic terrorist in Kansas Who would have thought that would happen
A white Christian Terrorist. Just like those white Christian Terrorists in Michigan and that white Christian terrorist teenager who killed two people. We need to use the same vocabulary to describe these white Christian Terrorist that we use to describe Islamist Terrorist!
This is definitely on Trump with his rhetoric.
aquarius1049 Donald Trump is grooming domestic terrorists. Prove me wrong.
donwinslow 'Liberate Michigan' 'She's a dictator, that's why people don't like her' If this dude loses in November, he may well become the first POTUS to do time.
These Trump terrorists are a real problem, I can only hope that as soon as he's gone they'll think twice before attempting anything.
He sounds nice.
CaseyHinds Domestic terrorists are being recruited and cultivated.
TxBlueDiamond Jeezus.
They'll murder peoppe before they're forced to not murder people... antimask crowd are officially just pro murder i guess
Is their defense going to be that “The President activated them and told them to do this? Because I believe that they believe they are following orders/requests/wishes of Trump!” TrumpIsNotWell TrumpIncitesViolence
Dick old white guy☠️💀
donwinslow par. maga.
Imagine the outrage if BLM protesters conspired to kidnap GOP mayors or GOP governors.
I still resent Reagan taking away funding for insane asylums. The Proud Boys, the Wolverine whatevers, this guy, and all the rest of the extremists would be safely tucked away where they can’t harm people.
WTF!
FFS!
Beyond all the horrible things his actions say about him, retired firefighter, Meredith Dowty, won’t be known for his career but as a convicted felon sent to prison. He flushed his reputation with his soul. Over a face covering rule designed to save lives 🤦♂️
Trumps people. MAGA people.
People have lost their minds!
This seems like an over-reaction.
I’m a Kansan and I can tell you the biggest problem. Kansas is a RED state. Anything a Democrat tells them to do or recommends is a lie. We have one of the best Governors we’ve had in a long time and all she gets bad mouthed for trying to protect people. FOX news plays everywhere
donwinslow I don’t really get why a little piece of cloth makes some people go off their heads. It’s a piece of material.
LadyJustice_SMH and yet, just today, my husband and i drove past mask protesters in Bothell, Wa insisting that masks don't work. It's exhausting, having to carry these morons to societal safety by doing our part and MaskUp 🥴
Darwin was right.
Yo! Stop! Please. Stop with the masks and distancing. The whole world is laughing at us and now it’s getting ugly. You can’t suppress free people and tear their lives apart and not Expect this. End the lockdowns! People are losing their minds. No lockdown Is worth violence
over a mask - a mask that can protect him and everyone else. Sad
WTF?
A real nutcase,asks the mayors address⁉️ “He said he was going to kidnap me and slash my throat and he needed my address because I needed to see the hangman — me and everyone who, something about tyranny,” Whipple said.
Wow.
chrislhayes Probably a white, male, domestic terrorist.
Silkbrah Im here in wichita!! They are not get squeezing my mayor Whipple!!. And we dont do that crap here..
Pro life...until it's something you don't want to do-including wearing a minor mask when you're out and about. Pro-life...until you come across someone who disagrees with you and then you threaten to harm and kill a person.
What is wrong with people these days?
donwinslow Sounds about white...
donwinslow Retired people who are obsessed with politics, PLEASE GET A HOBBY! Limit your FOX NEWS watching and Facebook reposting to 1 hour a day. Exposing yourself to insane amounts of misinformation is MAKING YOU DEPRESSED and PARANOID.
donwinslow Lock him up?
donwinslow What is wrong with people? It seems as if some have mental problems and just can’t deal with reality.
donwinslow Trump. The president for all Americans. (All the unhinged racist psychopaths that is)
donwinslow One less Trump voter....LOCK HIM UP!
donwinslow Cuckoo.
donwinslow This is getting out of hand. 😳
donwinslow Someone is going to get hurt, for real, by these MAGATerrorists! This HAS TO STOP! trump is a stochastic terrorist and America is in danger!
This is trump's America
donwinslow Oh perfect. People just think they can threaten to kill anybody these days. I certainly wish the president would shut up he’s embolden them.
So many idiots
So now that makes three attempted kidnappings over masks! WTF!!!
We have a real mental health problem in this country.
ecarsonvacation Make this madness STOP!
Retired firefighter. Wild guess... he could have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) like football players. That's what makes sense to me. Brain injury is awful for everyone.
BlameTrump VoteHimOut Cult45
And yet another reason why nazi trump supporters shouldn't be allowed anywhere near children or guns or anything flammable or plastic scissors or people
chrislhayes Oh geez! These anti-maskers are totally ridiculous. Just think about the masks people in Europe wore during the various plagues and 'sweats'. Those thinks scare the freak out of me. I'll stick with these simple masks we have now. Get real people.
These people are wild!
ffs, are these people even human. I'm ashamed to be part of the human race.
Light him up 🔥
chrislhayes Every single one of these are as much a result of a cowardly POTUS as the morons who plan them. realDonaldTrump will become an example of what never should be allowed to be elevated to the highest office. Your enablers will occupy the same stained pages of history.
Good! The idiot!
These people have LOST THEIR DAMN MINDS. And yes I blame Trump and his asinine politicizing of masks. All he had to do was wear a 🤬 mask and encourage others to do the same. BidenHarris2020Landslide
Sure, in America we jump to such logical alternatives.
that could save so many lives.
How sick are these people, it so simple to wear a mask. These people really need some professional help, the must have some deep seated mental issues. This guy need to be look up in prison for a long time, there absolutely no reason to threaten anyone over just wearing a mask,
chrislhayes What is wrong with these people who want to kill people just because they're too stupid to wear a mask. Big babies with guns. Wake the hell up and grow up.
neilpX Trumpsters
chrislhayes What
Another Deplorable? Color me surprised.
naretevduorp This is unbelievably tragic on so many levels. NFPA
chrislhayes White terrorism! Lock him up !!
chrislhayes What is going on in these United States of America.
Good Lord ! Can you imagine if Americans were forced to be refugee's in a Camp like so many millions They would all be hunkered in a corner crying or putting on suicide vests Pitiful
RustyMillerXAP Again, unless you have to wear one for work, add up the time out of 24 hours in which you were asked or required to wear a mask. Bet it comes out to 10% or less of your day. Now add up the time you’re eating or sitting on the can. Bet it’s a lot higher
chrislhayes This is beginning to happen all to often.
chrislhayes What is wrong with these people?
chrislhayes Cmon folks, it’s just a mask
This is on Trump.
chrislhayes Hope he goes to jail and loses his pension.
What is wrong with these people? How did they come to believe this is how disputes are handled in the USA?
It's like the tide pod challenge for boomers
chrislhayes Today I watched a six year old put his mask on, without prompting, as he entered a store. Why can’t grownups do the same?
chrislhayes Jesus - what the hell is wrong with people? It's a piece of cloth, it's not a barrel full of nails we are being asked to wear. This is nuts.
chrislhayes Trumpoids are sick, sick people.
chrislhayes These people are crazy! To the range in the A.M.
chrislhayes OMG! What has happened to us?!
chrislhayes Why are the right-wing so snowflakey? 😂
chrislhayes WTF is happening
chrislhayes Utter madness
chrislhayes ‘The Party of Family Values’ GOP is a terrorist organization
chrislhayes Over a god damn mask What is wrong with people?
chrislhayes This is all Trump’s fault.
chrislhayes Need to keep a magaterrorist tally going. Is this incident number 3?
chrislhayes trump's America...
chrislhayes Terrorist
chrislhayes Trump support
Surprised he didn't drive to Kansas City to pick up the mayor there. MAGAts
chrislhayes ? MAGA-NAZI ?
Wow!
that little feller needs to move to washington dc
Conservaderps need to comprehend if one of these domestic threat plans of theirs works, the retribution upon them will be a hundredfold.
They don't need more prisons. They need more mental health facilities cause one third of this country has lost their f*cking minds.
People have lost their goddamn minds...
This just makes me sad that him and Donald Jr aren’t friends. That would be a hell of a party. Donald can bring stormy. Would be a great time
So he thinks it’s ok to kill someone because he is afraid of a piece of cotton. Typical Republican.
Mask up, America. If you think masks don’t help and this is just the flu, you’re living in conspiracy theory land and not in reality. Masks help each other, and as Americans we should unite under this simple principle.
Guaranteed Trump supporter
Bitcoin price is going to go to the 🌙! Grayscale, Micro-strategies, Square, and StoneRidge bought more than is being mined. So if this continues, all new bitcoin bought will have to be by people willing to sell. But as price 🚀 goes up, less are going to want to sell. Demand=$🙃
WTF is wrong with Republicans? Are they all just hard core terrorists at this point who'll just kidnap and murder anyone who tell them they have to follow the law? Are you all a bunch of nutjobs?
Jesus WTF? Imagine being this angry over a piece of face cloth.
TrueFactsStated This is what happens when Trump's words and actions on masks! He puts other people in harm for doing the right thing to protect them.
Okay listen Up ! What’s wrong with These People?! 🤨🤷♀️😷👋
I think some of this is a fear response but Trump and other irresponsible nutballs are whipping this up and making it so much worse.
America or trump...end the hate
So we march and petition to get politicians to do the right thing, and the other side threatens to kill politicians for the opposite? I wonder who the politicians will bow to...? This isn't good.
MAGAIsACult
Local PD might want to check into this guy if there are any open arson investigations around town too. Just saying.
Hunter Biden needs to come out and tell the world that the laptop, emails and the porn found on it were not his. Both he and Joe Biden need to tell us that they did not benefit financially by political favors granted to China and Russia. That they haven’t means there GUILTY!
Jfc. Its a piece of cloth. What is wrong with these psychopathic cry babies?
Excellent, lock him up. Leave him there.
And I thought firefighters were smart. Damn.
Crazy that this is happening to our elected officials.
I’ll bet he has a red hat made in China...
“Law & Order”....
He should've stayed on as a volunteer.
Check mental health periodically of first responders.
Such ignorance and hate. Thanks to Trump
Trump’s fruit
Oh look, surprise surprise, another right-wing white man looking to kidnap a Democratic government official because he couldn't possibly handle being told what to do for the safety of others for once in his god damned privileged life.
Thanks trump.
I live in Kansas. People think you get COVID just by getting tested. 🤦♀️ They refuse to evolve their stance as science evolves their understanding of this *new and unknown* virus we’re dealing with. I can’t understand the lack of critical thinking.
joycesurprenant 100% why I'm voting Biden. Trump's decision to lend presidential approval to reckless hate and the elements who revel in it has made the US a much more dangerous country, and it's imperative that we fire him in order to stop it.
Help me Jesus. The devil is busy
LOCK HIM UP!!!!
Peoples rights are being threatened and theyre pissed- isnt really that complicated to figure out
He was ok with heavy duty masks during fires. Now, all of a sudden, he's against wearing a piece of cloth? Nope. It's all about appeasing his orange cult leader.
Trump's major supporter from Kansas.
Let me guess, white nationalist in his mid fifty's and is a cosplay militant.
kidnap the mayor? because you disagree with a policy decision wtf WearADamnMask
Domestic terrorism going rampant.
wearing a mask is just common decency like holding a door open or not cutting in line except it saves lives maybe your own or the folks you love or maybe your neighbor or the kid down the street with cancer or grandma WearADamnMask or stay home
CIJ_ICJ IntlCrimCourt
Lock him up, lose the keys
Gee, I wonder who he supports? 🤔
You could have just called them local idiot, I'm sure the fellow fire fighters don't appreciate being associated with a moronic wanna be domestic terrorist.
Domestic terrorist.
man antifa is super dangerous.
What Again
Must have been a forced 'retirement', because this is crazy. Also, sounds like a terrorist to me.
Right wingers at their best. March and protest racism? That's evil. Kidnap elected officials, that's a-ok.
Over a mask? 😮
It is just a piece of cloth. What is wrong with these people? It's like me going on a rampage because I don't want to wear shoes to work.
We need to shut down all white men until we can figure out what is going on!
This is not a traditional bioweapon. Its showed the definition from the Academy of Military Medical Science in China. So this is redefined it as 'the unrestricted bioweapon'. And also this is deliberately released. DrLiMengYAN1
Wear a 😷😷😷😷
Wear a fucking mask people. Stop being dumb.
WTF is wrong with these spoke?
Trump has too be VOTED OUT look at the hellish foolishness he's Deliberately Created. StopTrumpsTerror by VotingBidenHarrisBlueWaveNov3rd Vote4BidenBlueWave2CureAmerica!
Why? That's Stupid. Do you want to Die and Infect other People too?
Another domestic terrorist.
Lemme guess, Republican?
A president's words matter.
Crazy ass people, it’s just a mask 😷!!!
Welcome to Trump's world. Just one more reason to vote this dude out of office.
What the fuck is wrong with our country
smh...we can thank realDonaldTrump for making mask wearing political🙄
I remember the atom bomb thro teachings st school. One thing is certain. The yankees love killing. When it’s on the other footing they DO NOT like being killed. They are full of gob Put them up agin British troops and yu will find a big difference. The yanks do not match up
Trump’s America. Love seeing his supporters go to prison.
Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for 761 days in an attic apartment in until she was captured. During that time she didn’t go out, go to bars with her friends or get into fights about wearing a mask. She died at Bergen Belsen concentration camp at age 15. We should be ashamed.
Retired firefighter but current terrorist.
TrumpsAmerica
WTF is wrong with these anti-maskers?
TrueFactsStated Trump has brought out the worst among us.
he sounds pretty serious about it
Retired......stays home all day watching Fox 'News' getting riled up. Probably would have been better to take up a new hobby instead of plotting murder.
Wow, good thing he's a 'retired' firefighter. Hate to see what he did while on active duty.
How sad that you have to make it about yourself Mr. Dowty but I have the feeling that the 'president' you support is ALWAYS about himself, so it makes sense.
We are going to need more therapists.
These people who think mask mandates are 'tyranny' are nuts. If you're fighting for your own 'freedom' to do whatever you want at a cost to others' freedom, that's not what freedom is, & it's not what democracy is.
Jesus Christ. You’re not supposed to tell people. That’s the and second rule of fight club.
Can we stop trying to kidnap politicians? Just vote em out instead ?
I’m sure this is the media influence...
A mask. Of all the things you’d be willing to die on a hill for. People choose a mask. WTF
I'm going to write to Merriam-Webster and ask them to modify the definition of the word 'stupid' to include: 'individuals refusing to wear a safety mask during a global pandemic'.
Trump’s people, folks 🙄
When he was active, I’m sure he wouldn’t have entered a deadly fire without protective gear, why is it so challenging to see that wearing a mask is the same principle.
Let me get this straight.....the police spokespersons name is (checks notes).....Charley Davidson?
“upset”
WTF!? Don’t tell me Trump hasn’t made this country a hell hole!
Another maga terrorist?
Omg
My guess is that he’s a loco gringo
MENTAL HEALTH is far bigger than we ever thought. Seriously. These Trump supporters are dangerous people. They are willing to murder to show their support.
Insane people.....
TrumpTerrorists
Trumper trying to own the libs again. Instead he will be doing time, and not able to vote, really owning those libs
Don't firefighters use masks for protection when they go into burning buildings? 🤪🤣
This is getting out hand. Trying to harm someone for protecting their citizens, that's crazy
What a loser
Dr. Li-Meng Yan shows the evidence in her two reports that are not long and everyone can read, the coronavirus is manufactured and spread intentionally by the Chinese Communist Party.
Law and order ya'll 😳
Can’t we just change the law to whatever you’re planning/do, that becomes the punishment?
People are so edgy!
A firefighter no less. You can’t make this shit up lmao.
I guess he'll missing the return of JFK Jr. 😬
JoeNBC where's clairecmc when you need her. To bad her race isn't in November.
I thought it was a political stunt when the FBI and DHS said these elderly white nationalist were the biggest terrorist threat facing the country. Welp. Here we are.
These right wing nuts are out of control
Everything is Trump’s fault!!!!
Is this the new thing to do? It's just a damn mask.
A lot of wild animals are roaming free in the US right now.
Why are people so adverse to survival?! Is wearing a mask inconvenient? Hell yes. But just think of your fellow man and woman. All these so called “pro-life” advocates are hypocrites. Ugh.
These idiots have completely lost touch with reality Out of some misplaced loyalty to trump the want to endanger their fellow citizens so badly they are prepared to commit violent crimes
Imagine being this upset over a mask.
As a fireman he should know the dangers of being exposed to an unseen threat.
Really? Kidnapping to get your own way, is what part of the rule of law, again? sheesh white supremacy and misogyny sure seem triggered lately...
Another one of Trump's 'very fine people'? 🤷
BlameTrump
His reasons? Find out on NBC’s town hall
Sad end to a noble career it would seem
Masks are whack af
Crabby old white men are dangerous, and not just the President.
When Trump said America was going to see a 'Red Wave', I couldn't have imagined he was speaking of the blood of politicians. Insanity.
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