Michigan man accused of threatening to 'shoot up' National Guard air base

Roque Diegel accused of threatening to 'shoot up' air base

Roque Diegel at his arraignment Dec. 18, 2018. (WDIV)

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A man accused of threatening to shoot employees at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, Mich. was arraigned on a terrorism charge Tuesday afternoon. 

Roque Diegel is now an inmate at the Macomb County Jail. The 53-year-old used to call those air base employees his own coworkers. Selfridge officials said Diegel was assigned to the 127th Wing. He was arrested by Michigan State Police on Monday for allegedly threatening to shoot members at the base.

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"Master Sgt. Roque E. Diegel, who started working at the base in 2002, currently works as an Air Terminal Craftsman with the 127th Logistics Readiness Squadron," reads a statement from Selfridge officials. "Officials at the base are cooperating with state and local law enforcement agencies as they investigate."

Diegel lives in Harrison Township. State police detectives tracked him down and arrested him for the threats he allegedly made about shooting up the base. Inside his home detectives found more than 70 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Diegel has been charged with one count of false report or threat of terrorism, which is a 20-year felony. When asked about bond, Diegel told a judge he is just three weeks away from his retirement from the military. 

"I have no reason to do anything bad to anybody because I am looking forward to a pension, and a severance package," he said. 

He said he also had plans to attend Macomb Community College. 

"This is really baffling to me, truly," he said. 

Bond was set at $250,000 cash/surety only. If released, he must be placed on a GPS tether and stay at his home.Â