Threats to kill public officials lead to dangerous discovery in Tennessee

[riversedge]

Source: USA today



Authorities found 14 improvised explosive devices in a Tennessee home while arresting a man who had threatened to kill public officials.

August 3, 2025 9:03 p.m. ET

Officers found 14 improvised explosive devices in a Tennessee home while apprehending a man who had threatened to kill public officials and local law enforcement personnel, authorities said Aug. 2.
Investigators and sheriff's deputies went to a residence on Aug. 1 in the community of Old Fort, located just north of the Tennessee-Georgia border, seeking to arrest Kevin Wade O’Neal on active warrants, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. O’Neal, 54, was accused of threatening to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in the county.

While taking him into custody, the sheriff's office said in a statement that deputies noticed "something was smoldering" in the bedroom where the suspect was found. They observed what appeared to be an improvised explosive device, also known as IED...................









Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/08/03/tennessee-improvised-explosive-devices-arrest/85502260007/?tbref=hp

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Link to tweet

https://www.newsnationnow.com/video/14-explosives-found-at-mans-tennessee-home-morning-in-america/10948235

[Brainfodder]

1. Tiptoed around his party leanings or do I have to click the article?

[OldBaldy1701E]

2. It was in Oldfort.

Statistically speaking...


(From Wikipedia)

You already know the answer.

[Brainfodder]

3. I hoped I knew the answer!

Thanks for the subtle confirm.

[Wuddles440]

4. What's really depressing...

is the erosion of voters supporting the Democratic. candidate over that period. Yikes!

[Omnipresent]

5. Reminds me of that Chapell Roan song, 'Pink Pony Club'.

In the song she leaves her disapproving mother in Tennessee to move to California to dance in a gay nightclub.
It is an example of how red states are being deserted by progressives and becoming ruby red.

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. Yes, but that also means that they are losing ground when it comes to progress and vision.

Which means, sooner or later, they will fold because they will no longer be sustainable.

Or, they will opt for the 'destroy everything because we are not getting our way' mentality.

Which is where I think they are headed. Which is why I continue to say that we need to stop being 'proper' and fight fire with fire.

Which means, destroy them first.

There, I said it.

[Omnipresent]

11. I'm standing my ground in the red state of Florida.

I’m not going to flee for nothing.

[rubbersole]

12. I'm afraid I'll have to flee Florida because of property insurance rates.

Among 50 other reasons. Desantis has opened the floodgates to insurance companies to charge whatever they want to. People are leaving Florida in droves.

[Omnipresent]

15. Republicans never have solutions for any problems.

They are forever, the political party for the wealthy.
Asking them for anything, would be like asking a dog to make you brownies, but all they can make is shit!

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

6. A big jump in R votes when Obama ran.

An even bigger jump in votes when TSF ran and it increased in each of his three campaigns. Look at how the percentage of the vote jumped from 52% to over 83% in 24 years. This is what happens when people self-marinate in a stew of hate propaganda. Add to that this county is in the Bible belt and throw a huge serving of MAGAt christian nationalism into that stew.

I would say it is easy to see how he votes but OTOH perhaps he doesn’t vote at all. Hopefully he won’t be voting for at least a couple of decades after he is indicted, tried and convicted on terrorist threat charges and possession of homemade explosive devices.

My question is, the Republicans are in charge in the federal government and Tennessee is a ruby red state. What does he have to hate?

Thanks Old Baldy for the stats!

[OldBaldy1701E]

8. "What does he have to hate?"

Hate is at the core of this person's being. Without hate, he has nothing.

Which is why most of these animals are doing what they are doing. Because they have nothing else. Usually per their own designs.

[mwb970]

9. I wonder what party he supports.

No I don't.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Crazy conspiracy theorist - claimed the sheriff was satanic etc.

For months, O’Neal had made increasingly unhinged comments on social media — including death threats — claiming the sheriff’s office had been stalking him, deliberately ignoring criminal activity and using “Wiccan magic” to engage in “electronic torture,” according to the New York Times.

He would frequently ask Facebook friends if they knew the address of Sheriff Steve Ross — whom he routinely referred to as a “demon possessed man,” the outlet said.
...
Amber Lilley, O’Neal’s niece, told the outlet his anger at the sheriff’s office was the result of a fight he was having with a former friend. She said her uncle became convinced the friend and public officials were part of a “satanic witchcraft cult” using “electronic forms of torture” to “drive people crazy and manipulate their lives.

She said he was deeply mentally disturbed and struggled with substance abuse, noting their family had unsuccessfully tried to find the treatment he needed after his mental health worsened over the years, culminating with violent outbursts and hallucinations.

https://nypost.com/2025/08/03/us-news/tennessee-man-who-threatened-public-officials-had-14-ieds-cops/

[Sneederbunk]

13. The perp sounds like he is kind of improvised himself.

[oasis]

14. Red state whackos crawling out of the woodwork.