Texas Briefly
Texas man pleads not guilty to making threats after election
ATLANTA (AP) — A Texas man accused of posting a message on Craigslist after the 2020 election calling on “patriots” in Georgia to “put a bullet” in three government officials has pleaded not guilty to a criminal charge.
Chad Stark and his attorney appeared briefly by video Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell Vineyard in Atlanta. Stark, 54, pleaded not guilty to one count of communicating interstate threats. He remains free on bond.
The Justice Department has said Stark's prosecution was the first criminal case brought by its new Election Threats Task Force that was created last summer. According to prosecutors, Stark posted a message on Jan. 5, 2021, titled: “Georgia Patriots it’s time to kill (Official A) the Chinese agent — $10,000."
The message stated, “Georgia Patriots it’s time for us to take back our state from these Lawless treasonous traitors.” It goes on to urge Georgia residents to “militia up” and calls for shooting the three officials as well as “corrupt” local and federal judges.
Prosecutors did not name the officials in documents filed in federal court in Georgia.
Former President Donald Trump has made repeated false claims that widespread fraud cost him the election, and some of his supporters have targeted election officials and workers in Georgia and elsewhere, making violent threats against them.
Police: Gunman killed four, then himself in Texas
CORSICANA (AP) — A gunman in Texas killed four members of his own family, including a child, before fatally shooting himself as officers approached, police said Saturday.
Corsicana Police Chief Robert Johnson told the Corsicana Daily Sun that one shooting was reported overnight in Corsicana, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Dallas, and the second was discovered by authorities in Frost, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Corsicana.
Johnson said the victims include a man and a woman in Corsicana and a man and a child in Frost. Authorities have not released the names or ages of the shooting victims. An Associated Press reporter left a message with the Corsicana Police Department requesting more information Saturday.
Two people were also wounded in the shooting in Corsicana and a third was wounded in Frost, Johnson said. All three were hospitalized in critical condition, he said.
Johnson said the suspect’s vehicle was found using GPS and police arranged for the monitoring service to shut off the vehicle’s engine.
