A man allegedly threatened to commit a mass shooting at his workplace in West Melbourne, Florida, according to police.
A West Melbourne Police Department officer wrote in an arrest affidavit that Marcus Anderson was discussing the March 27 school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, with co-workers on March 30, when he expressed “ideations about committing a mass shooting” at his workplace, Mack Technologies.
Anderson allegedly told co-workers that he had “17 bullets for 17 heads,” adding that a backpack located in his locker contained 17 rounds of ammunition. During the conversation, Anderson also said he had an AR-15 in his car, according to the affidavit.
The arrest affidavit states that Anderson told two co-workers that he would “signal them” before beginning the shooting, so they would be “free from harm,” FOX Orlando reported.
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A West Melbourne Police Department officer wrote in an arrest affidavit that Marcus Anderson was discussing the March 27 school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, with co-workers on March 30 when he expressed “ideations about committing a mass shooting” at his workplace, Mack Technologies. (West Melbourne Police Department)
Anderson explained that he planned locations throughout the building and also said that he followed a technician from the company a few days earlier, and “debated murdering the technician,” the affidavit states.
When one of the co-workers asked Anderson if he was “serious” about the plan, he replied that he’d do it if he “got mad enough,” the document states, paraphrasing the suspect.
When a police officer asked Anderson about the conversation, he allegedly claimed that he was just kidding around and wasn’t serious about the statements. Anderson claimed all he said to the co-workers was “if I get frustrated, I be like man, I’ll shoot this s–t up bro f–k this” and added it was just a general conversation.
In the interview with police, Anderson contradicted himself, according to the affidavit.
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A pistol “magazine along with an additional box of .380 ACP ammunition,” according to the affidavit. (West Melbourne Police Department)
“Naw I would never do that, like I said I would actually take it out on somebody, the person that pisses me off, not the whole building,” Anderson allegedly told the police officer when recalling what he told co-workers who asked him if he was serious about the shooting.
Anderson allegedly told the officer that while he owns a .380 ACP pistol and an AR-15, he claimed to have never disclosed what specific firearm he owns. When asked if Anderson had any firearms on the property of his workplace, Anderson said no, according to the affidavit.
The suspect later admitted that he might have a handgun in his backpack because he lives out of his car and is homeless.
When police searched Anderson’s locker at Mack Technologies, a handgun was found with a “round in the chamber and a loaded magazine along with an additional box of .380 ACP ammunition,” according to the affidavit.
Police then found an AR-15 rifle in his vehicle with a round in the chamber and a loaded magazine, the court document states.
Police then found an AR-15 rifle in his vehicle with a round in the chamber and a loaded magazine, the court document states. (West Melbourne Police Department)
“When officers searched Anderson’s vehicle they also discovered an AR-15 style short-barreled rifle, with an overall length of 23.5 inches and no serial number,” the affidavit states.
He was arrested for possession of a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or machine gun, police said.
Anderson is being held at a local jail on a $35,000 bond.