TAMPA, Fla. – A man has been charged in connection with an incident that caused a “shelter in place” order to be issued last week at MacDill Air Force Base.
WATCH ABOVE: The arrest comes as our partners at the Tampa Bay Times say they received a video about the threats at MacDill.
Jonathan James Elder, 35, of Palm Harbor, has been arrested and charged with making threats against the base.
He is accused of making a phone call that prompted the shelter in place on Wednesday, March 18.
According to the complaint by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Elder called MacDill and asked them how they liked the surprise at the base’s visitors center and then yelled “boom” into the phone.
He then made a second call asking MacDill asking if they enjoyed the pipe bomb, according to the complaint.
According to FBI officials, a suspicious package was found outside the base visitor center last week. A screening was completed on the package, which identified “possible energetic materials.”
Elder is being held at the Pinellas County Jail. You can read the criminal complaint embedded below.
An FBI agent wrote that Elder has a history of making similar threats and was brought to a mental health facility under the Baker Act after being interviewed.
In a statement at the time, base leaders said:
“We take all threats seriously and are taking appropriate measures to prioritize the safety and security of our installation.”
MacDill Air Force Base is home to U.S. Central Command, which is leading U.S. operations in Iran.
This is a developing story. Stay with Spectrum Bay News 9 on-air, online and the Spectrum News app for updates.
