Seattle man arrested for making bomb threat to Portland, Oregon, Police precinct

justice.gov ^ | September 2, 2020 | U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Washington

[ransomnote]

Submitted the threat via online Portland citizen communication system

(Seattle) - A 36-year-old Seattle man was arrested today and appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle for making a threat to damage or destroy a building–in this case a Portland, Oregon, police precinct, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  KYLE ROBERT TORNOW is accused of using an online communication system to claim he had planted explosives at a Portland, Oregon, Police precinct.

According to records file in the case, on July 24, 2020, TORNOW allegedly used the Portland Police TrackIT system to send a message claiming he had planted an explosive at one of the city’s police precincts.  Using an alias, TORNOW claimed he had planted a bomb that was “undetectable” to canine searchers and that if he were caught, “others will take my place and immediately detonate the bomb.”  The communication claimed it was a “felony threat” and needed to be taken “seriously to avoid death.”

FBI agents were able to trace the communications back to TORNOW, and he was arrested without incident this morning.

Making a threat to damage or destroy a building is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the FBI.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Woods.

tornow_complaint.pdf

Attachment(s): 

Download tornow_complaint.pdf

Topic(s): 

Cyber Crime

Component(s): 

USAO - Washington, Western

Contact: 

Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov.

[cuban leaf]

One too many commas in the title (after Oregon). Where do these people go to school.

[cuban leaf]

I remember back in the 1970ish timeframe there was a bomb threat fad going around. I wonder what ever happened to that.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

This is an interesting development, but they've got THOUSANDS of marxists and anarchists doing actual serious damage to property in Portland and Seattle. Why would they arrest the guy who sent a THREAT rather than the serious criminals destroying property and civic life? Seems a bit out of kilter to me.

Slightly off topic, but why does justice.gov always include the following two sentences in their press releases?

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Are Americans now so brain-dead about civics that they do not understand that simple rule of jurisprudence? That's been a cornerstone of jurisprudence here for 400 years.

[BBQToadRibs]

Apparently Justice.gov cannot afford editors.

[Persevero]

I don’t understand why all those people attacking federal buildings aren’t similarly charged.

Aren’t these attacks threats? More threatening than just words.

[Twotone]

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