On 20 Sep 17 Lt. Hornbeck responded to the Marietta City Police Department in reference to a threat of violence against law enforcement.

Lt. Hornbeck was advised that on 19 Sep 17 MPD Officers responded to 111 ½ Terrace Avenue, Marietta, to Bruce Ashby wanting assistance with retrieving his children from his estranged wife.  Ashby was complaining that she had taken the children to visit family out of Washington County, and he felt this violated the court order portion of “not relocating the children out of Washington County”.  MPD Officers explained to Ashby that merely visiting family was not relocating the children.  Ashby became angry with this response and stated he would handle the problem on his own.  As Ashby slammed the door on the Officers he stated “I own guns.”  Ashby later called back to the MPD and advised that he was going with his guns and retrieve his children.   Ashby was advised that this action would result in his being arrested.

Marietta PD then received information that Ashby had made a Facebook post stating “Law Enforcement has earned the bullet. Far game”, “shoot first it’ll be ok”, “nothing personal just end them.”

Ashby made these threats of violence and murder towards law enforcement officers in an attempt to force action towards his perceived violations of the court order, not to relocate the children.

MPD contacted the Sheriff’s Office to provide a warning to the threat of violence.

A warrant was requested and issued for Bruce Edward Ashby, age 34, 111 1/2 Terrace Avenue, Marietta, OH, for making terroristic threats, a 3^rd degree felony.

At approximately 10:15 am. Lt. Hornbeck along with members of the Detective Bureau went to the Terrace Avenue residence in an attempt to serve the warrant on Bruce Edward Ashby for making terrorist threats.

Ashby was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Washington County Jail for processing where he remains pending his appearance in Marietta Municipal Court on 21 Sep 17.