Man accused of making terrorist threats at plant
RED BAY – A Haleyville man was arrested on Wednesday after threatening to shoot his supervisors at Sunshine Mills, Inc. in Red Bay.
Ronnie Lee McKee, 48, 1626 Ninth Court, Haleyville, was charged with making a terrorist threat, Red Bay Police Chief Janna Jackson said.
According to Jackson, the police department received a call Wednesday afternoon after employees had reported that McKee had made statements that he was planning to shoot his supervisors at the dog-food manufacturing plant.
Jackson said the employees immediately reported the incident to the proper department at the factory and company officials notified authorities.
“Once we were made aware of the threat, officers went to the plant and interviewed witnesses and questioned the suspect,” Jackson said.
“After questioning, an arrest warrant was issued for making a terrorist threat and he was taken into custody.”
Jackson said as a precaution, Red Bay Police officers went to McKee’s residence in Haleyville on Wednesday evening to search the premises and make sure there were no weapons in the home to back up the threats.
“We wanted to take every precaution we could to make sure he was no longer a threat to the employees at Sunshine Miss,” Jackson said.
She added that the employees who came forward and reported the threat were to be commended for taking steps to prevent workplace violence.
“It’s good that these employees recognized the signs of potential workplace violence and took the steps to prevent it,” Jackson said.
“In light of everything else that has happened recently across the country, you can’t be too careful when someone is making threatening statements like that. You just never know when that person is serious and when they might really be planning to harm or kill other people.”
“I hope more people will be aware of their surroundings in the workplace and in other places so that hopefully we can prevent acts of violence from happening here.”
At press time, McKee remained in custody at the Franklin County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
