Mississippi man arrested for allegedly threatening school officials, alumni online

A 36-year-old Meridian man was arrested Wednesday on federal charges after allegedly making online threats against school officials and students where he was a former teacher.

Daniel Christian Johnson allegedly made online threats on social media, including threats to kill named victims and commit other acts of violence using firearms and explosives, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release, citing court documents.

Johnson is also accused of making subsequent threats against law enforcement officers.

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“If one cop takes away your rights, you have the right to kill 10 cops later. You have little incentive to not make mistakes,” is one of the threats Johnson made on Facebook.

The former teacher also said students were not showing him respect, which allegedly cost him his job. He also named an administrator he planned to target after he was allegedly fired.

In another Facebook post, Johnson shared some of the ingredients he planned to use to harm people he believed had harmed him.

“The ACT of war begets ACTIONS OF WAR. I’m just waiting for two things to happen before I pull the trigger,” he wrote in another post.

In August, law enforcement searched Johnson's home and discovered what may be components of explosive devices or materials used to make explosives, the statement said.

Before his arrest, Johnson was interviewed by Lauderdale County sheriff's officials, to whom he admitted to making threats against school officials and students, according to court documents. Johnson agreed to be admitted to a mental health facility for treatment, but he left after just two weeks. It was after he was released from treatment that he allegedly made threats against law enforcement.

Johnson was charged with uttering threats to kidnap or injure and willfully uttering threats involving explosive materials. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

Johnson also faces similar charges from the 10th Circuit District Attorney's Office. He is being held without bail at the Lauderdale County Jail.

The FBI and the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department are investigating the case, according to U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff.

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This article was originally published on Hattiesburg American: Former Mississippi teacher faces federal charges after alleged threats