UPDATE: Colorado Springs veteran accused of threatening police online
People in one Colorado Springs neighborhood said Tuesday they watched their neighbor’s home get searched by the FBI.
The U.S. District Attorney’s office in Denver said officers arrested Jeremiah Perez, 33, on Monday. The Colorado Springs veteran is accused of making threats online to kill police officers.
On Dec. 17, Google contacted the FBI after seeing a comment on a YouTube post that said, “”SINCE DARREN WILSON our group has killed 6 retired sheriffs and cops……because of this event we will hunt two more in colorado this week…..for every innocent citizen that cops kill WE, VETERANS WILL KILL RETIRED HELPLESS COPS.” The threat further said, “COPS ARE THE REAL ENEMIES OF FREEDOM LOVING AMERICANS and TIME TO STRIKE BACK IN ALL OUT WAR IS NOW.”
The FBI began investigating the user, “Vets Hunting Cops.” Agents traced the post to an IP address in Colorado Springs and began surveillance, the U.S. District Attorney’s office said.
Last week, the FBI and Colorado Springs police served a federal search warrant at Perez’ home. A neighbor who asked to remain anonymous shared a video with KRDO of agents carrying out the search.
In the video, Perez is taken out of the home and kneels in the grass with his hands on his head. The neighbor said FBI agents staked out the home for hours before going inside. Pictures on the neighbor’s phone show agents with guns monitoring the home.
FBI agents seized his computer. Perez’ recent searches include: “Kill Sara Palin,” “Kill Barack Obama,” “Kill Mitch McConnell,” “Calls to Assassinate GOP Leaders” and “Someone Kill Fox News.” He also looked up Beaver Creek City Police Department and the address for Fox News Headquarters.
According to court documents, Perez said he had problems with police in the past and he felt he was treated differently because he was Latino.
He told investigators his posts to YouTube were a result of “misplaced frustration and a way of experimenting with words.” He said he wanted to engage YouTube users in conversation but no one responded to his posts. He said his posts became more violent following the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Perez told investigators that he wanted police to read his posts and feel “fearful.” He also said he knew what he was doing was wrong and he felt remorseful.
On Monday, law enforcement agents spoke with Perez in Colorado Springs. A forensic investigation showed the message came from his computer, and Perez was arrested.
An arrest affidavit said Perez “was a member of the U.S. armed forces,” but did not say which specific branch. It said he was subject to an Article 15 investigation during his time in the military.
Perez is expected in court on Monday, Dec. 29.
