Texas Man Arrested By Cocoa Beach Police For ‘Active Shooter Style’ Threat Against Hilton Hotel

By Space Coast Daily // August 25, 2019

Joseph Lee McKinney, 40, arrested as he disembarked from a cruise ship at Port Canaveral

TEXAS MAN CHARGED WITH SENDING WRITTEN THREATS OF VIOLENCE TO COCOA BEACH HOTEL

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – Joseph Lee McKinney, 40, of Texas, was taken into custody Saturday morning as he disembarked from a cruise ship at Port Canaveral for allegedly sending written threats of violence to the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Hotel, located at 1550 N. Atlantic Avenue.

According to Cocoa Beach Police Sgt. Manny Hernandez, Cocoa Beach police officers responded to the hotel on Friday after Hilton personnel received an electronic guest review expressing McKinney’s displeasure toward his recent stay.

“The review contained threatening language that made reference to an ‘active shooter style’ event at the hotel. Police remained on the property throughout the night until investigators could locate McKinney,” said Sgt. Hernandez.

Sgt. Hernandez said Cocoa police detectives worked with several federal law enforcement agencies and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office to locate McKinney on a cruise ship and subsequently coordinated his arrest upon arrival at Port Canaveral.

“Let this arrest send a message that we have zero tolerance for any threat of mass violence,” said Cocoa Beach Police Chief Scott Rosenfeld.

“The safety of our community is paramount, and we, as well as our law enforcement partners, are committed to carrying out that mission.”

McKinney was charged with Written Threats to Kill, Do Bodily Injury, or Conduct a Mass Shooting or an Act of Terrorism and transported to the Brevard County Jail. He is being held on a $25,000 bond.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Cocoa Beach Police Department at 321-868-3251 or call CrimeLine at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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