Warrant Issued for Man Charged with Threatening Burnsville Police, President Obama
Police say James Bradley Hoop left voice-mail messages for police, threatening them and using expletives.
A Pennsylvania man who was investigated last year for delivering a letter that threatened President Obama to the Secret Service has been charged in Dakota County with threatening and stalking Burnsville police officers.
A nationwide arrest warrant has been issued for James Bradley Hoop, 57, of Pittsburgh. Hoop is charged with two felony counts of making terroristic threats and two felony counts of stalking, each of which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
A Burnsville police detective received a voice mail on her office telephone Nov. 2 that began with someone whispering “Homicide,” then going on to ask questions about “unlawful investigations” and missing person reports, according to the criminal complaint.
The caller, who referred to the detective by name, then began to laugh and said he was “off his medicines again,” the complaint says. He referred to having “two squads of men” coming through Wisconsin, then warned, “Don’t [expletive] with us!,” according to the complaint.
The caller – later identified as Hoop – said he and his brother were “professional shooters” and that they planned to give Burnsville police lessons on “how to really shoot.” Hoop said he was going in and out of Minnesota “at will” and that he had a camp set up in Wisconsin.
Hoop once again referred to a homicide, mentioned Halloween and concluded the message by telling the detective, “You can [expletive] my [expletive],” according to the complaint.
Also on Nov. 2, a Burnsville police captain got a voice message from Hoop, who again referred to “homicide,” said he was off his medication and began to laugh. He said he could “do anything he wanted,” said he was 25 miles into Wisconsin and had “two squads of men” who were entering and leaving Minnesota.
Hoop told the captain, “Don’t [expletive] with us!” and offered to “train you [expletive] to shoot, since you don’t know how to shoot professionally,” the complaint says.
The caller referred to police by a string of expletives, then added, “And now that you murdered my mother,” according to the complaint.
The police captain recognized Hoop’s voice, the complaint says.
Police contacted Hoop’s brother, who lives in Apple Valley. The brother refused to give investigators Hoop’s address or telephone number, but provided a post office box number in Pittsburgh. He said he had received a text message from Hoop on Nov. 2, asking him how soon he could be in Decatur, Ill.
Investigators also spoke to a U.S. Secret Service agent stationed in Pittsburgh. That agent told police that Hoop had come to the office in October carrying two canisters of pepper spray and a letter that threatened President Obama.
The agent said Hoop hadn’t written the letter and that another person was being investigated for that. However, Hoop called the same Secret Service office several days later and told a receptionist that he had visions of being shot by a police officer and that he planned to buy a bulletproof vest and shoot anyone who “came looking for him,” according to the complaint.
Hoop’s criminal history includes numerous convictions for making terroristic threats, harassment and stalking.
Anyone with information on Hoop’s whereabouts should contact local police.