Texarkana News
HOOKS, Texas — Texarkana, Texas, police arrested an Arkansas-side man last week for allegedly threatening on social media to kill a police officer.
Officers arrested Aaron Swenson, 36, following a lengthy pursuit after Swenson posted on Facebook Live his intentions to search for an officer to ambush and execute, according to a Texas-side police news release.
Police charged Swenson with terrorist threats against an officer, evading detention with a vehicle and unlawfully carrying a weapon.
Numerous people started placing 911 calls about after watching the Facebook Live video online, the news release stated.
Within the live feed, a man said he was driving in the Texarkana area searching for a lone police officer to “ambush and execute.”
When officers viewed the video, they saw the suspect was driving a late-model black Chevrolet truck in the area of Saint Michael Drive, just west of Interstate 369. At one point the suspect could be heard saying in the video that he had just passed an officer on the service road, but added that he would have to turn around in order to go get him.
Several officers responded to the area and saw a vehicle fitting the description as it turned onto Kings Highway from Saint Michael Drive.
The suspect pulled into a Sonic restaurant parking lot on Kings Highway, but he immediately fled at high speed once the pursuing officers activated their emergency lights.
Officers then pursued the vehicle as it turned onto Hampton Road headed toward Red Lick, at which time an officer anticipated the route the suspect would likely take. The officer then deployed a spike system near the Shiloh Road and Leary Road intersection. This immediately deflated the suspect vehicle’s tires, although he continued to speed until coming to an eventual halt near U.S Highway 82 in Hooks.
Swenson stayed inside his vehicle, with music blaring, while he ignored officers’ directives to exit the car. He eventually left the car after 25 minutes and surrendered before being taken into custody.
Officers discovered that the suspect wore an armored-type vest when arrested, in addition to having several weapons inside his vehicle.
Swenson is being held at the Bi-State Justice Center Jail pending bail.