Two Illinois men, Austin Blair and Jarrett Maki, both 25, are accused of making terroristic threats to a series of fast food restaurants, allegedly calling and warning about an “active shooter.”
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According to court documents shared by the East Alton Police Department, Blair and Maki allegedly issued the false warning from late July to late August. Their alleged modus operandi was straightforward: call a restaurant and advise about a shooter arriving shortly.
The documents detailed eleven instances in which Blair and Maki allegedly called and made terroristic threats to the establishments.
On July 28, they called a Taco Bell in East Alton and said, “I see a dude with a bug gun walking toward your store,” the documents alleged. Then, they called a McDonald’s and a Sonic, also in East Alton, and allegedly told them a similar story.
Finally, they called a Casey’s in Wood River. They allegedly said, “There’s going to be an active shooter at your store in five to ten minutes.”
The following day, they did the same with a Domino’s Pizza in East Alton, the documents said.
Over the subsequent days and throughout August, Blair and Maki would allegedly call the Sonic, McDonald’s, and Domino’s locations again and issue the same terroristic threats.
On August 18 and August 27, the pair allegedly called Runway Lounge in Bethalto and claimed that someone was going to shoot the bar.
Men Arrested
As a result of their alleged calls, the threats caused “fear and disruption” at the local business. Many of them were forced to close early, the East Alton Police Department said.
East Alton and Bethalto police officers executed a warrant at a Niagara Street residence in East Alton. On Wednesday, September 3, evidence was seized from the residence, and Austin Blair was arrested. During his interview, he further established his involvement with the threatening phone calls, police said.
Three days later, on Saturday, September 6, Jarrett Maki was arrested.
Both men were charged with 11 counts of making terroristic threats. Blair has been released from custody, while Maki remains in jail. As per Fox 2, the latter was fired from his job at the Detroit City Football Club.