The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) has nabbed a man for spreading hate and fear on the internet, targeting several groups with threats of violence. An investigation was launched following a tip-off from the FBI National Threat Operation Section (NTOS) about a series of disturbing comments and posts on YouTube.
William Bender III, 28, became the focus of the investigation after detectives traced the origin of comments like, "Kill all immigrants," and "It's war time. Send these monkeys to hell." The comments not only expressed hostility towards black people and immigrants but also included threats directed at law enforcement and federal agents. Despite the horrifying nature of his posts, Bender admitted to detectives, according to HCSO press release, he made the racially charged threats to evoke angry responses from other users.
Bender was apprehended and has been charged with one count of "Written or Electronic Threat to Conduct a Mass Shooting or Act of Terrorism." The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office underlines their zero-tolerance policy towards such intimidations. "We will not tolerate comments made to intimidate, threaten, or cause fear within our community," Sheriff Chad Chronister was quoted in the statement. "If you think you can hide behind a keyboard in Hillsborough County, think again. We are committed to investigating and holding individuals accountable for making online threats."
The investigation is currently active and ongoing, details of which will be communicated by the Public Affairs Office as they emerge.
