A quiet town in Alabama has become the center of a federal investigation after a local man was charged with threatening religious leaders across multiple states.
Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker of Needham is accused of sending disturbing messages to rabbis, imams, and churches in at least four states. According to federal court documents, Shoemaker left threatening voicemails, including one where he told a rabbi, “I want you to die.” Authorities say he also texted a Louisiana mosque warning of a so-called war.
“I want you to die because you want the death of us,” Shoemaker said in one of the calls. “You want the West to die off.”
When federal agents searched Shoemaker’s home, they found handwritten notes listing personal information of religious leaders. Despite this, Shoemaker told investigators his messages were intended as satire or psychological warfare, not real threats. His grandmother allegedly informed authorities that he was mentally ill and not taking his prescribed medication. Additionally, he had several weapons that could have been used to carry out his threats.
“He had stockpiled some ammunition, some of it was old, some of it was new. He had a newly purchased assault rifle, he had extended magazines which were loaded, and the way that the ammo was fixed was like he was ready to go and utilize it somewhere,” Clarke County Sheriff DeWayne Smith confirmed.
Shoemaker was arrested by a multi-agency task force and remains in custody at Choctaw County Jail.
