POLK COUNTY, Fla. – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested one of its deputies for written threats the deputy made related to the violence at the U.S. Capitol two weeks ago.
Deputy Peter Heneen, 29, has been suspended pending termination from the sheriff’s office, Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference on Tuesday. Heneen, has been a deputy with Polk County Sheriff’s Office for six years.
Sheriff Judd said an investigation into messages Heneen sent to a fellow Deputy, on the evening of Jan. 6, after the riots at the U.S. Capitol, revealed “absolutely frightening things.”
Judd said another deputy reported the action, making threats in connection with violence against the U.S. Capitol, to a lieutenant.
One of the messages say, “I’ll f***ing kill them all, ” in reference to Federal workers at the U.S. Capitol.
“You issue a written threat, you’re gonna get locked up too,” Sheriff Judd said. “No matter who you are. Because we are going to ensure the safety and security of this community and quite frankly, it’s time for this entire nation to take a deep breath, and to calm down.”
Polk County Sheriff’s Office released the text messages sent and can be viewed in the slideshow below:
“Our deputy that reported this is a hero,” Judd said, adding that the reporting deputy was also investigated but cooperated fully and is not in trouble.
The suspect is accused of a “mass shooting or act of terrorism” threat, Judd said.