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Police arrest suspect for making 16 bomb threats against libraries, schools, others

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Illinois

Police have arrested a suspect for making numerous bomb threats to public libraries, businesses, suburban governments and at least one police station during approximately the past seven weeks, according to information from the Niles, Morton Grove and Skokie police departments.

Jacob N. Spiro, 23, of the 4600 block of Davis Street, Skokie, was arrested Monday in Niles by Niles police with the assistance of Morton Grove police and the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force, police said in statements. […]

Niles police said 11 threats occurred in Niles and Morton Grove police said 12 occurred in Morton Grove, including some directed at the Morton Grove Library, the Village of Morton Grove and businesses.

Skokie police said in a statement that 16 threats were made in Skokie.

During the investigation, detectives linked the suspect to all these incidents and identified him through digital forensics, police said.

* WGN…

Jacob Spiro, 23, of Skokie, is facing two counts of falsely making a terrorist threat and one count of disorderly conduct. […]

Throughout the area this year, several schools and libraries have been the targets of phony bomb threat calls.

Skokie police told WGN News the charges are connected to schools an additional charges for “other locations” are pending.

Niles police said 11 of the incidents took place in their community. He is also facing charges related to incidents in Morton Grove and Glenview.

* Patch…

Spiro, of Skokie, is due to make his first appearance in court Wednesday afternoon, and he is expected to face additional charges after prosecutors present the evidence against him to a grand jury.

Police said Spiro was arrested Monday at the Wendy’s in the Golf Milwaukee Plaza in Niles, where he was taken into custody by Niles officers with assistance from Morton Grove police and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Spiro had threatened the Wendy’s, 8309 Golf Road, shortly before his arrest, according to Nick Zakula, deputy chief of the Niles Police Department.

posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:42 pm

Comments

23 years old…

Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:43 pm
I look forward to learning which online communities he frequents.

Comment by Homebody Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:45 pm
And the Highland Park shooter was, what, 21?

Young men vulnerable to a certain strain of lies and paranoia are being radicalized and then weaponized through a very particular set of information channels, and the best we can do as a society is note it and say “Oh, that seems bad.” Can we at least stop calling them all “lone wolves?” Because there is a very definitive pack structure.

Comment by Roadrager Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:50 pm
==Spiro had threatened the Wendy’s, 8309 Golf Road, shortly before his arrest, according to Nick Zakula, deputy chief of the Niles Police Department.==

Nothing like calling in a bomb threat and then stopping in for a junior bacon cheeseburger.

Comment by So_Ill Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:53 pm
=== 23 years old… ===

Came of age during the MAGA hate campaign. Without the example of tolerant parents, this is what you will get. Add the MAGA whitewashing of history and opposition to diversity education, our society is turning into a real bad bunch of people.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:57 pm
I want a Pepsi free

If you want a Pepsi you are going to pay for it Pal

Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:58 pm
Roadrager said the whole thing.

Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 2:04 pm
If that’s this guys real facebook profile under his name and listed in Skokie… ouch.

Winner -2018 Youth of the Year- award.

“which online communities he frequents.”

Looking at his public profile, and the obvious things which immediately pop out, that may end up being incredibly weird and confusing. But so are all these threats.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 2:17 pm
Damn, well done LP.

To the post, these are the people that need to never ever be allowed to touch a gun for the rest of their lives. And if a continuing threat, not be able to post bail.

Comment by Lurker Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 2:33 pm
Acts and threats of stochastic terrorism are being stoked by the Florida governor and other Republicans on the anti “woke” crusade. They should stop and denounce this but they won’t because it will wreck them with their voters. Didn’t even Griffin say DeSantis went too far?

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 3:06 pm
- Norseman - Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 1:57 pm:

=== 23 years old… ===

Came of age during the MAGA hate campaign. Without the example of tolerant parents, this is what you will get. Add the MAGA whitewashing of history and opposition to diversity education, our society is turning into a real bad bunch of people.

Wow. A whole lot of assumptions in that statement.

Comment by Observer Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 3:08 pm
Arresting people making bomb threats is critical–it’s what eventually got them to stop being a trend in the 1970s. So good on the police for doing the work here.

The alleged bomb threat maker doesn’t have an obvious recent social media presence. what he does have is primarily related to being Jewish. Don’t forget some of these folks are just unbalanced. The political environment can be a cause, but so can poor mental health. And then sometimes they combine themselves.

Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 3:47 pm
@Arch Pundit

=== The political environment can be a cause, but so can poor mental health. ===

Change “cause” to “catalyst.” Our entire youth has only known political chaos since the Tea Party arose 13 years or so ago. Anger and resentment and distrust are not good lesson plans for even healthy youth.

Comment by H-W Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 5:04 pm
== Young men vulnerable to a certain strain of lies and paranoia are being radicalized and then weaponized ==

These men have agency and should be held responsible for their actions. It’s true that social media is engineered to provoke certain (mostly negative) emotions in order to drive engagement, but no one is forcing them to engage or believe everything that pops up in their feed.

Comment by Just Lurking Wednesday, Oct 11, 23 @ 5:26 pm