Man Arrested In Denton County For Terroristic Threats
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DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Police in Denton have arrested a man who is believed to have been making terroristic threats on Wednesday morning. The entire incident actually started on Tuesday night, but culminated with a large police presence at the Denton County Courthouse, where the man was trying to get inside of the building.
Authorities were responding to an unrelated call Tuesday night when confronted by 28-year-old Peshwaz Azad Waise. He was speaking irrationally about God and Allah, according to police. However, he was not violating any laws, so the officers went on their way.
Police with the University of North Texas then responded to a disturbance call at an IHOP restaurant located on the southeast side of campus, where Waise was continuing to speak irrationally. He was given a warning and told to leave campus property, which he did.
Waise then went to a women's health center in the 200 block of Bonnie Brae Street. According to authorities, he was insisting that people inside take a copy of the Koran from him -- "or die." He was gone before police could arrive at the scene, but soon after was spotted at the Denton County Courthouse.
Witnesses said that Waise was wearing a turban and yelling in Arabic. He tried to enter the courthouse, but was stopped at the security checkpoint. Officers said that Waise claimed to be "the king" and wanted to give a copy of the Koran to a judge inside. He was escorted out of the building by Denton County Sheriff's Office deputies.
However, while being removed from the building, an agitated Waise allegedly told deputies "I'm imposing the death penalty" and "anybody who touches me is going to bleed." The Denton Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Waise due to these terroristic threats, and took him into custody.
Nobody at any location was injured during these incidents.
Waise's vehicle, a silver Nissan Versa, was found in the northwest part of the courthouse parking lot. It has been searched and is going to be impounded, but authorites are taking extra precautions due to the nature of the threats. "There was no mention of bombs or anything," stated Denton Police Department spokesman Orlando Hinojosa, "we just wanted to take precautionary measures to make sure that there was nothing in his car."
The Denton Fire Department's bomb squad was called to the scene to scan the vehicle prior to its removal.
After the mass shooting in Orlando this past weekend, Hinojosa said that officials must be extra vigilant. "People are realizing that this stuff is real, so we're not taking anything for granted," he said.
