A threat of violence targeting a parishioner during a church service in Millbrae has led to the arrest of a Belmont man, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Deputies took Alexi El Kadi, age 50, into custody on suspicion of making criminal threats against an individual of Our Lady of Lebanon Church. The apprehension occurred following a tip from a community member about a concerning social media post by El Kadi. In a statement, Sheriff Christina Corpus expressed gratitude to the alert citizen for enabling a swift response, emphasizing, "Threats against anyone representing a place of worship are unacceptable and will not be tolerated in San Mateo County." The suspect has been booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility, as detailed in an official social media post from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
The reported threats were directed at an organizer at the church during a Mass event scheduled today at its premises on the 600 block of El Camino Real. The history of harassment by El Kadi towards this individual resulted in sustained fear and concern for the safety of those attending the event. Following these reports, deputies served El Kadi with a Gun Violence Restraining Order to block his access to firearms, as reported by journalist Henry K. Lee on his social media account covering law enforcement activities.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has alerted the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC) regarding the incident, and local detectives will conduct ongoing investigations. Local authorities are urging anyone with further information about the incident or similar threats to come forward and contact the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office at 650-363-4911 to assist in maintaining community safety.
