A Florida woman was arrested Saturday after deputies said she threatened a mass shooting at a memorial service for a police dog, WPLG reported.
According to an arrest report by the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office, Jill Hoffman, 66, of Boca Raton, posted more than 100 threatening comments on the agency's Facebook page after Cigo was killed in the line of duty during a Christmas Eve shooting, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The woman apparently blamed deputies for the animal's death, the newspaper reported.
Hoffman is charged with sending a written threat to kill or conduct a mass shooting.
Cigo, a 3-year-old German shepherd, was killed while deputies apprehended two suspects outside the Mall at Wellington Green in Wellington.
Days later, when deputies announced plans for a memorial service for Cigo on Facebook, a user named Michael R. Reed posted the comment: "Great venue for a mass shooting. You don't have the sense you were born with," WPLG reported, citing the arrest report by Detective Matthew Ott.
Deputies later determined the account was operated by Hoffman, and family members confirmed that she used the alias, the television station reported.
According to Ott’s report, Hoffman responded to a Facebook post about active training for civilians by writing, “I hope all of you are the first to be shot!!” In another Facebook post, about a deputy building a North Pole mailbox for children, Ott said Hoffman wrote, “How about building yourselves coffins and jumping in them. You’re going to need them.”
Cigo was honored Thursday with a police motorcade that delivered his body to the service and a 21-gun salute, WPLG reported. The animal also received a medal of honor, the television station reported.
Credit: Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
About the Author
