Man accused of threatening to kill nightclub patrons
A Southeast Side man was arrested Tuesday night, accused of making an online threat against the LGBTQ community through a social-networking app.
Me’Shach D. Israel-Miller, 27, of the 2300 block of Weyburn Road, was arrested after Columbus police became aware of his threats March 1 on the app Grindr, according to a Facebook post by the Columbus Division of Police.
He was charged with inducing panic and aggravated menacing.
On March 1, Israel-Miller told another Grindr user that he was going to kill him and “85 (slur word) at a gay club,” a police affidavit states. The club was not identified.
The victim put screenshots of the threat on Facebook and they went viral, police said. Another Grindr user initiated contact with the suspect in an attempt to locate him, the affidavit states.
Nick Hart, a local photographer, confirmed in an interview with The Dispatch Wednesday night that he was the person who decided to try to find out who the suspect was because he believed the threat was aimed at either the Union Cafe, where he works, or the Axis Nightclub, both in the Short North.
“I don’t take lightly threats toward my workplace, my boyfriend or other people,” Hart said of his decision to get involved. Police were able to identify Israel-Miller after he sent a photo to Hart.
Hart said he immediately contacted Sgt. Nick Konves, the LGBT diversity/ inclusion liaison for the Columbus Police Division.
Konves plans to talk to the prosecutor’s office about adding additional charges under the Columbus hate crime statute, police said.