CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Cape Coral Police Department arrested 50-year-old David Lee Biasott for one count each of a written threat to kill and a written threat to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.
Folks in his neighborhood tell Fox 4 that they knew something was up on Monday.
"It was like a bunch of cops when we were walking our dogs," Shamar Jackson, who lives nearby, said.
He and other neighbors told Fox 4 they didn't know why officers were there until we talked with them.
"It's really crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy," Jackson said.
FDLE says the investigation began on November 29, when agents were made aware of multiple emails being sent to several sheriff’s offices and police departments containing threats to shoot law enforcement officers.
Investigators identified Biasotti as the sender of the emails.
FDLE agents said when they confronted the suspect he ranted about the Catholic Church. They said he accused it of fraud and wanted law enforcement to arrest church officials. FDLE said when that didn't happen David Biasotti took matters "into his own hands," sending threats to over 100 Florida law enforcement agencies.
He claimed he would be forced to take matters “into his own hands” and make citizen’s arrests and/or put “bounties” out for the arrests of law enforcement.
Neighbors are processing it.
"You never know who your neighbor is. You get me?" Jackson said.
Some of the neighbors who spoke to Fox 4 off-camera said they would occasionally
see David Biasotti do things that struck them as odd. No one expected him to be writing
about violence against officers.
"That is really disappointing; it means we need to keep our eyes open," Jackson said.
Biasotti was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Lee County Jail on a $40,000 bond.
