The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said they received reports from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office that Alex Bancroft, 30, was making threats to shoot protesters on his Facebook account on July 24.
The social media post, seen by Fox 13, states “u can yell black power but when I yell white power I am a raciest [sic].
“I am going to start target practice on these motherf*****s with there [sic] signs.”
After others commented on his post that he wouldn’t actually carry out his threat, Bancroft replied: “keep ur eyes on Fla news.”
During the investigation, police found that Bancroft was allegedly responsible for another violent post, using the popular game Cards Against Humanity.
Cards Against Humanity is a self-described “party game for horrible people” in which users are encouraged to make the most offensive sentence possible by completing a prompt with selected cards.
A photograph on Bancroft’s account shows a card with the prompt. “That’s right. I killed _____. How you ask? _____.”
The two cards played beneath are arranged to read: “That’s right. I killed African children. How you ask? An AR-15 assault rifle.”
Bancroft admitted that he made the Facebook posts, but told HCSO deputies he had no intention of shooting anyone.
After a warrant was put out for his arrest, deputies attempted to serve it at the location where the suspect was staying in Dover in Hillsborough County, but Bancroft had left to visit a friend in Clermont. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Sheriff’s Office were then made aware of the warrant.
“The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office takes all threats to injure or kill others very seriously, and this includes threats made online on various social media platforms,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.
“HCSO’s mission to serve, protect and defend the citizens of Hillsborough County extends beyond the streets we patrol every day. If you think you can hide behind a computer screen when threatening to hurt another person, you are absolutely wrong.
“I want to thank our law enforcement partners, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Orange County Sheriff’s Office, for their assistance throughout the course of this investigation.”
Bancroft was arrested on a felony charge of written threat to kill or do bodily injury on July 25. He is currently booked at the Orange County Jail awaiting transfer back to Hillsborough County.
Online records show he is being held on a $7,500 bond.
