UPDATED 9:55 am Wednesday, June 1
The Brownwood Police Department issued the following media release concerning a terroristic threat arrest made in Brownwood early Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at approximately 6:00 pm, the Brownwood Police Department was contacted by agents with the FBI regarding an online threat to blow up a school building.
FBI agents arrived in Brownwood and provided details of the threat, which was a video posted on a social media platform such as TikTok or Snapchat. In this video, a male subject purported to have placed C4 explosives at a BISD facility. The location of the explosives was not detailed in the video.
In the investigation, 25 year-old Shane Vernon Bedneau, of Brownwood, was identified as the suspect and further located at his place of employment in Brownwood. Bedneau was interviewed and denied following through with the threat, indicating that he was intoxicated when he posted the video and does not want to hurt anyone. Bedneau was subsequently arrested for Brownwood Municipal Court traffic warrants.
Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division also applied for and received a warrant of arrest for Bedneau for Terroristic Threat placing the public in fear of Serious Bodily Injury. While in jail, Bedneau was served this warrant which had a bond set at $100,000 by Justice of the Peace Doug Hurt.
Bedneau was recently evicted from his home and has been staying in his vehicle. A search of the vehicle is being applied for to ensure there is no bomb making material present. Furthermore, Brownwood Police Officers and BISD staff members conducted a sweep of the BISD facilities throughout the night. No explosive devices were located, and nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
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A man taken into custody early Wednesday morning in Brownwood faces charges after a social media post about Improvised Explosive Devices and C4 explosives being on a Brownwood ISD Campus.
Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrest records show that Shane Vernon Bedneau, 25, was arrested by Brownwood Police and taken to the Brown County Law Enforcement Center.
The official charge is shown as TERR THREAT IMP PUB SERV/PUB FEAR SBI/INFLU GV meaning a terroristic threat placing the public or substantial group of the public in fear of serious bodily injury. The bond amount shows to be $100,000.
According to a Brownwood ISD statement early Wednesday morning, the school district received word late Tuesday night that a man made a social media post about Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and C4 explosives being on a BISD campus. Brownwood Police Department and BISD staff canvassed all facilities and the suspect is in custody. Brownwood Police have cleared all facilities for entrance this morning.