A Michigan man was free on $10,000 bond Monday after he was arrested on a charge that he called CNN’s Atlanta headquarters and threatened: “Fake news. I’m coming to gun you all down.”
The man, Brandon Griesemer, was arrested Friday at the home he shares with his parents in Novi, near Detroit, according to federal court records. He posted bond the same day on a charge of transmitting interstate communications with the intent to extort and threat to injure, according to the court calendar.
According to an FBI affidavit, Griesemer, for whom no age was given, called CNN 22 times on Jan. 9 and 10, railing against African-Americans, Jews and CNN from the same phone number that was used in September to communicate threats against an Islamic center in Ann Arbor. The affidavit alleged that Griesemer admitted making the call to the Islamic center to local police.
Four of the 22 calls to CNN included explicit threats, according to the FBI. In one of the calls, the caller said: “Fake news. I’m coming to gun you all down.” In another call, he said, “Your cast is about to get gunned down in a matter of hours.”
In a statement, CNN said: “We take any threats to CNN employees or workplaces, around the world, extremely seriously. This one is no exception. We have been in touch with local and federal law enforcement throughout, and have taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of our people.”