Davenport man faces terrorism charges
A 55-year-old Davenport man was in custody Thursday after police allege he used threats of terrorism in social-media videos, according to court records.
Willie Shorter faces charges of the threat of terrorism and assault on persons in certain occupations, Scott County Court records show.
In arrest affidavits, police allege Shorter was involved in numerous incidents.
In affidavits, police allege that, about noon Feb. 16, 2024, Davenport Police received a report of a video posted to TikTok, and a supplemental video posted to Facebook, in which Shorter says “You know that’s sad they had a mass shooting down in Kansas City. They need one in Davenport, Iowa, right downtown. Right there in front of that courthouse, that police station, and that city hall.” The video ends with “This is live, Willie Shorter,” affidavits say.
In a subsequent minute-long video, police allege Shorter, who is on camera, says, “The reason I posted that video about Davenport, Iowa, needs a massacre here, because it is sad how that Davenport, Iowa, the whole state, is getting away with how they are railroading Black folks in the system and how they are mistreating elderly Black folks here in the state of Iowa.”
According to police allegations in affidavits, on July 16, 2023, Shorter posted a six-minute video on Facebook Live “making alarming statements and manipulating two firearms.”
In the Facebook video, police allege, he says “I want to show you racist white folks in Davenport and anybody that wants to talk down on me that feels like they got something they want to say to me or they want to try and harm me. I want you to know what you’re going to be up against the day that anybody come (messing) with me and thinkin’ they’re gonna stop me from saying what I’m saying. Or thinkin’ they trying to hurt me in any kinda way. I want ya’ll to understand what I’m finna show y’all. It ain’t gonna be pretty for you.”
According to affidavits, the video pans to two black pistols on the ground in front of him.
Shorter “did threaten to cause terrorism to be committed and caused a reasonable expectation or fear of the imminent commission of a terroristic act,” police allege in affidavits.
In more recent affidavits, police say that about 12:15 p.m. Monday, Davenport Police responded to the police department lobby, 416 N. Harrison St., in reference to a wanted subject.
A Davenport Police Officer identified Shorter as wanted for two counts of threats of terrorism and told Shorter to place his hands behind his back because he was under arrest, affidavits say.
Shorter, the officer says in affidavits, refused, took a fighting stance, and balled his fists. “This placed (the officer) in fear of immediate physical contact,” the officer says in the arrest affidavit. “A physical altercation ensued to secure (Shorter.)”
Shorter was being held Thursday on a total $11,000 bond in Scott County Jail, according to court documents. He is set to appear for a preliminary hearing Friday in Scott County Court.
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