Nathan Meese, 25, was arrested by Surprise cops on felony terrorism charges after authorities say he threatened a "massive explosion" in the Phoenix area on Snapchat. (Maricopa County, Surprise Police Department)
SURPRISE, Ariz. - A 25-year-old Surprise man is facing felony terrorism charges after police say he threatened to set off a "massive explosion" in the Phoenix area, later telling investigators he was just desperate for attention.
What we know:
Nathan Meese was booked into jail on Thursday after Snapchat flagged alarming posts threatening a public attack, according to court documents.
The trouble began Wednesday night when the FBI alerted Surprise Police about concerning posts forwarded directly by Snapchat. Officers say Meese posted photos of himself wearing a black mask with a handgun resting in his lap, writing, "Nobody will be harmed, only myself," and "I just wanna be able to eat." Police noted they had already tried checking on Meese at his apartment four separate times over the past week, but no one ever answered the door.
Early on Aug. 28, the situation took a much more dangerous turn. State counterterrorism officers spotted fresh posts from Meese's account warning, "You all are gonna hear about a massive explosion in the Phoenix Arizona area." In another message, he wrote that he had changed his mind about shooting himself because he wanted to "go out in a big way" and told people to watch the news.
Dig deeper:
Detectives quickly traced Meese's phone to his apartment on Stadium Way. Officers raided the home, taking Meese and his mother out of the apartment without incident. Inside, investigators seized three cellphones and a black Glock-style handgun that matched the weapon shown in his photos.
What they're saying:
During an interview with detectives, Meese reportedly admitted to writing the posts on his phone. He told officers he made the explosive threats because he was looking for attention and claimed he never actually intended to hurt anyone.
What's next:
A judge set his bond at $30,000, and he is due back in court on Sept. 3.
Map of the area where police raided Meese's apartment:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Maricopa County Superior Court records.