MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Federal prosecutors have charged Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker, an Alabama resident, for making threatening phone calls and texts to various religious leaders, including multiple rabbis and an imam, across the South.
Shoemaker was arrested after being charged with Interstate Communications Threat, along with state charges of resisting arrest and illegal possession of a firearm. His threatening communications included alarming statements directed toward a Mountain Brook rabbi, with the threatening messages saying, 'I want you to die.'
An investigation revealed that Shoemaker contacted not just rabbis in Alabama and Louisiana, but also an imam in Georgia and a church in North Carolina. During a search of his home, authorities found weapons, a suitcase filled with ammunition, and documents detailing the names, addresses, and contact numbers of various religious figures. An FBI affidavit indicated that Shoemaker's threats were not isolated, as he expressed a desire to convince others to commit violence against these leaders.
Court documents also highlight that Shoemaker has a diagnosed mental illness, which he has reportedly neglected to treat. His grandmother informed authorities that he had refused to take prescribed medication for his condition. This incident was part of a larger investigation that resulted in a warning to several synagogues regarding credible threats of violence.
Authorities are concerned about calls to violence against religious leaders, reflecting on the potential risks posed by individuals struggling with mental health issues who may exhibit extreme behavior.
