19-year-old charged with making terroristic threat toward Ford plant
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - UPDATE: At a 5 p.m. press conference, the Clay County prosecuting attorney stated who has been charged in connection with the incident at the Claycomo Ford plant last night and what he has been charged with.
Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said 19-year-old Zachariah A. Peterson has been charged with the Class D felony of making a terroristic threat.
The range of punishment is up to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and a fine of up to $10,000.
Peterson was arrested at his home in Independence around 4:30 a.m.
The probable cause document says that, after he was taken into custody, he was interviewed. During that interview, he confirmed that he’d claimed to have “an AK-47 and a pound of C4 strapped to his chest because he was tired of being worked like a slave and his hours were getting cut.” He also “stated he wanted the plant to be evacuated and everyone to go home for the night.”
The sheriff’s office shared Thompson’s mugshot with the media.
Press conference on Ford Claycomo plant swatting incident WATCH LIVE: The Clay County prosecuting attorney is holding a press conference regarding the hoax threat made toward the Claycomo Ford plant. Previous coverage: https://www.kctv5.com/2023/07/19/law-enforcement-announces-arrest-hoax-threat-claycomo-ford-plant/ Posted by KCTV5 News Kansas City on Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Previous coverage is below.
Law enforcement has taken a suspect into custody after a false threat was made to the Ford plant in Claycomo.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday morning that criminal charges are pending, but a person was arrested.
At about 5:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Ford’s Safety and Risk Management Team received a call from a man who claimed to be armed and barricaded in a bathroom within the paint area on the second floor, the sheriff’s office stated. The security team took that call; it was not made to 911.
That man claimed to be armed with explosives, a rifle, and a handgun.
While he claimed to be a disgruntled employee, the first name he claimed was his did not match anyone who works in that department. He did, however, have the name of a supervisor who worked there, officials stated.
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Source: KCTV 5
