Texas man who threatened mass shooting caught with guns, radical paraphernalia, cops say

A Texas man is under arrest after police say he made threats to carry out a mass shooting, including possibly carrying out the attack at a Walmart.

The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Coleman Thomas Blevins, 28. He was arrested on May 28, but it wasn’t announced until May 30. Sheriff’s deputies, state officials and federal agents were all part of the investigation.

Recently, deputies learned that Blevins had an affiliation with extremist ideologies.

On May 27, deputies intercepted a message that stated Blevins was preparing for a mass shooting, according to the sheriff’s office. The message included a threat at a Walmart.

Police went to Blevins’ Kerrville home with a search warrant. There, they found guns, ammunition, electronic evidence and radical ideology paraphernalia, according to the sheriff’s office. The paraphernalia included books, flags and handwritten documents.

Blevins is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a gun, according to deputies.

He was charged with terroristic threat to create public fear or serious bodily injury. Federal charges are possible in the case. Blevins was booked into the Kerr County jail and is being held on $250,000 bond.

“This case reminds us that we need to always be vigilant. Many think ‘that can’t happen here’, and it was well on the way to happening,” said Sheriff Larry Leitha, “Our investigators did outstanding work in this case, and possibly saved many lives. The plot interrupted in this case is unthinkable. We appreciate the assistance of all our law enforcement partners, including the FBI, DPS, KPD, and Secret Service. We’d like to remind the public - if you see something, say something. The KCSO, working with other law enforcement professionals, will continue to stop threats to our community, and bring those responsible to prosecution.”

Texas was home to a mass shooting at a Walmart when a gunman opened fire at an El Paso store in 2019. There were 23 deaths and 23 injuries in that shooting.