A California man who threatened to bomb every synagogue within a 20-mile radius was arraigned and indicted before a federal grand jury on Tuesday, according to the California Central District US Attorney’s Office.
San Luis Obispo County resident Elijah Alexander King pleaded not guilty to one count of threats and false information regarding explosives, one count of threats by interstate communication, and one count of false information and hoaxes. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the first charge and up to five years for the latter two.
“I’m gonna blow up every synagogue in a 20-mile radius,” the 36-year-old man said in August on X/Twitter. “This is a real threat. Send the police and report me for terrorism.”
A few minutes later, King allegedly searched online repeatedly for synagogues near him. The City of San Luis Obispo said in an October statement that it had been notified of the posts by the law enforcement intelligence entity Western States Information Network.
King was contacted and sent to a hospital for psychiatric monitoring on August 28, according to the district attorney’s office, but continued to make social media posts about Jews, stating, “I got arrested and put on a three-day psych hold for my posts against the Jews.”
'We need Jew control'
“We don’t need gun control,” read a post shared by King. “We need Jew control.”
In September and October, King sent racist voice messages and emails to the police detective that placed him on psychiatric hold.
King was arrested without incident in a parking lot on October 24, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, and charged with a false bomb threat with a felony hate crime enhancement.
Prior to the August bomb threat, King posted on X under the pseudonym “Billy Badass,” where, according to the district attorney’s office, he expressed antisemitic sentiments, praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and posted images of weapons, including knives and pistols.
The Secure Community Network praised law enforcement for their arrest and charging of King.
“This incident underscores the importance of early detection, rapid reporting, and strong follow-up by our law enforcement partners,” SCN national director and CEO Michael Masters said in a statement. “The decisive action taken by authorities demonstrates how coordinated efforts can stop threats before they escalate.”