Jack Carpenter III, 41, has found himself in hot water after allegedly making threats against Jewish state officials in Michigan via social media.
The Jewish Community Relations Council Executive Director, Rabbi Asher Lopatin, was absolutely stunned by the news.
“This is a real threat,” said Lopatin. “American Jews feel threatened by anti-Semitism. It’s increased. It’s real, and this is another illustration.”
On Feb. 17 and 18, Carpenter made the threats from Texas using a Twitter account with the handle @Tempered_Reason.
One tweet read: “I’m heading back to Michigan now, threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is Jewish in the Michigan govt if they don’t leave or confess, and now that kind of problem. Because I can Legally do that, right?”
More than likely, that tweet is a reference to Carpenter’s alleged Declaration of Sovereignty, where he claimed a new country named “New Israel” was being formed at his Michigan home in Tipton and that American laws did not apply.
“People, unfortunately, who might even have mental health issues, can kill people,” Lopatin said.
In another tweet, he specifically named Metro Detroit law enforcement, saying:
“You may want to let everyone know, and Wayne County sheriff as well, any attempt to subdue me will be met with deadly force in self-defense.”
The tweets appear to be addressed partially to Carpenter’s mother after she refused to send him money to travel to Michigan. The indictment says Carpenter Had three registered handguns, along with other weapons, one of which he allegedly stole from his mother.
“This man has had so many different issues with the law that it is very scary,” Lopatin said.
Carpenter was arrested in December for assault and also had an unserved personal protection order against him. Now this starts another chapter in legal issues for the man.