Online post called for revenge
Musikfest increased security because of social media statement
A New York City man who made an online threat that prompted increased security at Musikfest appeared to target Bethlehem as “payback” for supporting President Trump.
Bethlehem police Chief Mark DiLuzio said Monday the probe into the threat is closed, and no criminal charges will be filed. He said the decision to not file criminal charges was made by Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.
The Morning Call reviewed the online post, which tied a recent mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, to Bethlehem. In the post, the man states he wanted “revenge” for the recent mass shooting that left 22 dead following the attack in a crowded Walmart in El Paso, on Aug. 2.
“What they did in El Paso we must do in Bethlehem PA and other parts of Trump country as payback,” the post states. “They must suffer as we are as a way to balance the karmic scales. An eye for an eye.”
Police say the man, whose name they would not release, underwent a mental health evaluation. DiLuzio said officials in New York searched the man’s home and found no evidence that the man made any plans to carry out violence.
The threat appears to target Northampton County, which is home to most of Bethlehem, as one of three previously Democratic counties in Pennsylvania that Trump flipped to Republican in 2016. The other two were Luzerne and Erie counties.
Trump won Northampton — which hadn’t voted for a Republican candidate since1988 — by 5,400 votes, a reversal of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s 6,100-vote loss in 2012. In Bethlehem, residents voted for Hillary Clinton over Trump by a margin of nearly 2-to-1.
Northampton County’s proximity to media hubs in Washington, D.C., and New York has made it a tempting story for political journalists. Since June, writers for Reuters, The Chris
tian Science Monitor and London’s Guardian newspaper have parachuted in for stories.
Media and political observers already have given Northampton heightened significance as 2020 approaches. Northampton County Republican Chairwoman Lee Snover called the area “the bellwether for the entire country.”
DiLuzio said a second online threat that also was investigated was deemed unfounded. That threat was posted on the local blog Lehigh Valley Ramblings, DiLuzio said.
In light of the online threats as well as several recent mass shootings, Bethlehem police beefed up security at Musikfest, which ended Sunday. Some of the added security measures included surveillance cameras as well as the visible presence of officers armed with AR-15 rifles.
After New York officials and the FBI alerted Bethlehem police to the online threats last week, DiLuzio said he opted to make several changes to security to ensure the safety of those attending the 11-day festival, as well as those working there and Bethlehem residents.
Morganelli couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Monday.