Oklahoma City man arrested for ‘concerning’ posts made on social media following Maine mass shooting
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An Oklahoma City man is now in custody after he allegedly posted ‘concerning’ comments on a Maine school district’s social media page following the mass shooting in Lewiston last week.
Robert Card, who was wanted in connection with the Oct. 25 shootings at a bowling alley and bar that killed 18 people and wounded 13, was found dead Oct. 27.
These are the victims of the Maine mass shooting
According to the Fairfield Police Department in Maine, 32-year-old Edward Timothy Dawe – current resident of Oklahoma City and former resident of Fairfield – made posts that were “concerning in nature” on a social media page for Maine School Administrative District 49.
“Officers were made aware of a social media post regarding the incident that happened in Maine recently. A person had put some social media posts out there stating that they believe there was an accomplice to that shooter,” said MSgt. Dillon Quirk, Oklahoma City Police.
The arrest warrant affidavit shows “a Facebook account identified as ‘Edward Dawe'” made several posts claiming Card had an accomplice and planned an attack at a high school in the district:
The school district closed for several days over safety concerns.
The school reopened Tuesday, according to NBC affiliate WCSH.
Court documents filed in Oklahoma County show authorities believed the threat was credible because the man was a student at the high school.
Police traced him to an address on South Meridian Avenue in Oklahoma City, where he was arrested.
“Our officers followed up on that, made an arrest here [and] it’s important to know that no schools, nowhere in this state were or were ever threatened,” Quirk added.
Investigators are digging into several other social media accounts that use Dawe’s name.
Court documents show authorities note a “fixation” on school shootings.
Accordingly, two separate posts from August specifically mention shootings and Lawrence High School.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now involved, but in an email Tuesday to the station, a representative for the Oklahoma City Bureau said the agency is unable to provide any additional information at this stage of the investigation.
Dawe is currently in the Oklahoma County Detention Center for Terrorism Hoax and Violation of the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act charges. His bond is $1,000,000.
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