A Tampa dentist, Dr. Richard Glenn Kantwill, 60, has been charged with multiple counts stemming from a series of violent and racially charged threats sent via social media and email to over 40 victims, as per reports by the WFLA and the DailyItem. The indictment comes after Kantwill allegedly continued to send threats despite a prior FBI warning to cease his online harassment.

The threats reportedly made by Kantwill contained profanities and slurs targeting race and sexual orientation, creating a tenor of fear among those who received them. In a message unearthed by the FBI and shared by the DailyItem, Kantwill is accused to have said, "Being the anti-Christ piece of s---t that you are, we are going to kill you. Torture first, then death."

Furthermore, the DailyItem reports that one victim went as far as to install nearly $4,500 worth of surveillance equipment due to fears incited by the threats. Kantwill did not limit his threats to private citizens, extending his menacing behavior to public figures, including an undisclosed politician whom he addressed with violent rhetoric in Facebook messages.

During an investigation, state attorneys argued that Kantwill poses a significant risk to public safety and pushed for him to be held without bond. The FBI's investigation turned up braggadocious claims by Kantwill about his weaponry and enjoyment of violence during his military service. In one Facebook message detailed by the DailyItem, he expressed to never surrender his arsenal, furthering concern about his propensity for violence.

The court has charged Kantwill with three counts of interstate transmission of a threat to injure. This case highlights the ongoing issues of online harassment and the intersection of violent rhetoric with hate speech, reflecting the challenges law enforcement and communities face in addressing the spread of such conduct in the digital age, as noted by multiple news sources including Tampa Bay Times and others.