A Florida man, Franklin Jarrell, was arrested for allegedly making violent threats against former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Ilhan Omar. Jarrell, 59, faces charges for sending threatening communications and making threats against a federal official. The threats were reportedly posted on TikTok and flagged to the FBI and Secret Service. According to a federal criminal complaint filed in Florida, the threats were made between February 11 and 12.
The complaint outlines several disturbing messages, including one that said, “I’m coming to kill you and you won’t worry about wearing a wranglers no more looking to put you in pajamas look at your teeth you’re as big as a godd crocodile you were mine I’m going to blow your,” and “I’m going to blow your brains out you won’t go back home not unless you’re in the box you’ll never see me coming.” These messages, though not directly addressed to specific individuals, were linked to a user account attributed to Jarrell.
On February 11, in response to a video about Harris, the TikTok user allegedly posted a message stating, “If she is a n she don’t even know what she is she’s one b I will take a sniper rifle and blow her head off like they’re trying to do with Trump f her.” The user also posted violent comments directed at Rep. Omar, threatening to kill her and using racist language.
The FBI and Secret Service investigated the TikTok posts, linking them to Jarrell after tracking the email associated with the account to a phone number connected to him. On February 18, a Secret Service agent contacted Jarrell, who confirmed his identity but denied the specific threats. When asked about his post threatening Harris, Jarrell allegedly referred to her using derogatory language.
During the call, Jarrell became increasingly hostile and threatening, saying he had a “house full of guns” and would prevent the agent from approaching his home. He also made additional threats, saying that the agent would “never leave” if they came to his house and that he would “kick [the agent’s] teeth in” if they tried.
Jarrell continued to harass the agent, leaving 21 threatening voicemails over several hours, using increasingly violent and bigoted language. In one voicemail, he allegedly said, “That motherf, I would knock his teeth out.” Law enforcement later traced the phone number to Jarrell’s family home in Jacksonville, where his father explained that Jarrell had a drinking problem and harbored a deep hatred for Harris, though he did not understand the reasons behind it.
Despite attempts by his father to intervene and calm him down, Jarrell’s behavior worsened. When contacted by law enforcement once again, Jarrell threatened to harm the agent if they continued communicating with his father. His aggressive responses and refusal to cooperate led to his arrest on the night of February 18.
Jarrell is currently being held in custody on a $100,000 bond, facing serious charges for making terroristic threats against public officials. This case highlights the increasing concern over online threats and the use of social media platforms for inciting violence. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to monitor for further potential threats.
