Meredith Dowty, 59, is facing a criminal threat charge after officials were “alerted to threatening statements directed toward city of Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple,” according to a news release from Wichita police.
Whipple told CNN he gets threats periodically, but the details of “this one seemed different.”
The mayor says he does not have copy of the messages. However, he does recall that “it was anger over the mask ordinance that we got through. Anger over, I think really, just Covid in general.”
“Obviously, the person (who sent the texts) was very angry, but also very detailed in what it sounded like they wanted to do,” he added. “They wanted the address, my address.
“And also, this threat was more specific about kidnapping me and cutting my throat,” he said. “Those were what was read to me. They were graphic.”
The Wichita Police Department’s statement did not detail what the alleged threat was about. It said the investigation is ongoing and will be presented to the district attorney.
The Wichita Eagle reported that Dowty is a retired city firefighter who the city council honored in 2008 for helping save a police officer who was shot in the line of duty.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the charge against Meredith Dowty. He was arrested on a charge of criminal threat.