Custodian Arrested for Allegedly Threatening to Shoot People at School
A 36-year-old Fort Bragg High School custodian faces at least one felony charge after allegedly making a threat directed at the Mendocino County high school.
- By Sherelle Black
- November 26, 2019
A high school custodian was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats after he allegedly made a verbal threat to shoot people at Fort Bragg High School in California.
After about 90 minutes of being notified about the threat, police pulled over Brandon Williamson, 36, on his way to work and took him into custody.
Williamson, who is described as a firearms collector by family, had 16 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition and high-capacity magazines, Fort Bragg Police Chief Fabian Lizarraga said.
Three of those weapons are classified as illegal assault rifles under California law, Lizarraga said.
“Based on the remarks that he made, and coupled with such a large arsenal, it gave us cause for concern,” Lizarraga said.
Fort Bragg High School Principal Bruce Triplett said the custodian was not on campus when the threat was made and therefore the campus did not undergo a lockdown.
On Nov. 21, the Fort Bragg Police Department issued an update stating: “To clarify questions that have been raised by the Community, as to why the High School was not placed on lockdown, representatives from the School District Administration and the Fort Bragg Police Department assessed the threat and determined that there was no immediate danger to students or staff on any school campus.”
As of Friday afternoon, Williamson remained in custody with bail set at $500,000 reported the Fort Bragg Advocate News.
The news outlet said according to Transparent California, he has placed on indefinite leave pending legal proceedings and the district’s personnel procedures.
“Our great police officers, acting very quickly, apprehended the suspect and placed him under arrest, Fort Bragg Mayor Will Lee said in a statement. “I appreciate our police department’s dedication and law enforcement expertise in these times of increased threats to our community. Keeping our children safe and our community safe is one of our most important responsibilities and duties.”
About the Author
Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.