Man arrested after threatening a mass shooting in Eureka

UPDATED 1/21/20: EUREKA, Calif. (KIEM) -A man is in the Humboldt County Jail after making threats toward a government building and its staff in Eureka.

According to the Eureka Police Department, 49-year-old Darin Michael Ward threatened to shoot up the building, its staff, and anyone around wearing a mask while he was at a restaurant in Weaverville on Tuesday. EPD will not confirm which government building was targeted, but they did say it was not the Humboldt County Courthouse.

A joint investigation was launched by EPD with help from the FBI and Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office. Then after midnight Wednesday, Ward was taken into custody and booked for criminal threats.

“This was pretty much specific to public health and mask wearing. That was more of what the threats were about,” according to Public Information Officer Brittany Powell

EPD wants to thank all agencies that assisted in the investigation.

PREVIOUSLY – A Eureka man was arrested after midnight this morning after threatening a mass shooting.

49-year-old Eureka resident Darin Michael Ward was arrested after initial reports of detailed and violent threats towards the Eureka government building, staff, and anyone around wearing masks.

The threats started earlier in the day at a restaurant in Weaverville, CA.

However, we don’t know if this had any correlation to the inauguration held today.

Just after midnight, Ward was taken into custody without incident and was charged with criminal threats, and is being held on a $25,000 bail.