BOCA RATON, Fla. — A Boca Raton man was arrested this week after Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies said he threatened a mass shooting while chatting on a social media platform.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Lowell Thomas Schoonmaker, 33, made several disturbing statements on Dec. 9 while using Twitch, a service that allows video game live streaming and other entertainment content.
The platform also allows users to speak to each other while watching videos.
The sheriff's office said another Twitch user sent a tip to the FBI about Schoonmaker's comments, which included "Mass murder coming soon" and "Today I'm going to kill 20 people have a nice day."
The affidavit said other comments posted by Schoonmaker said he wanted to "destroy the world" and "time for me to ruin my world."
Detectives were able to trace the IP address of the user, which led them to Schoonmaker's home in Boca Raton.
When law enforcement confronted him about the threatening statements, Schoonmaker said he was depressed, drunk and didn't mean it. He told investigators that he didn't have any firearms.
Schoonmaker was taken into custody Dec. 14 and faces a charge of making a written threat to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.
Online records show that he is still being held at the main Palm Beach County Jail.
