A former Bowling Green police officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury for making threats toward President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, 37-year-old Andrew L. Ryan, of Greenbrier, Tennessee was indicted on two counts of making threats against the president on social media. He remains in federal custody after being initially charged in a criminal complaint on June 18.
Ryan, who was previously a training officer with the Bowling Green Police Department, allegedly made the threats on social media in May near the time of the president’s visit to Nashville.
According to authorities, one Facebook post read, “Death is coming.” He’s also accused of tweeting, “I will kill Donald Trump if you don’t follow my leaders lead.”
Over the previous several months Ryan displayed a “declining mental state and threatening behavior,” reports WSMV.com. Several weapons were seized from Ryan’s home in February after multiple law enforcement officers “expressed concern that Ryan’s behavior would escalate into an act of mass violence.”
A statement from Bowling Green Police Chief Doug Hawkins on Thursday said that Ryan never “exercised police powers in an individual capacity there.”
“During the entirety of his employment, Ryan was either attending the Basic Police Academy in a non-sworn capacity, or was in a Field Training Program and supervised by a Police Training Officer,” Hawkins said.
Ryan was hired on June 20, 2005, and completed the Department of Criminal Justice Training Basic Academy in October 2005. He then transitioned into the Field Training Program under direct supervision, according to Chief Hawkins, and failed to complete the Field Training Program and resigned February 14, 2006.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
