Man suspected of planning attack on Missouri hospital is killed, officials say
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NEW YORK (NYTIMES) - A man suspected of planning to attack a Missouri hospital was killed during a shootout with FBI agents, the authorities said Wednesday (March 25).
The deadly encounter took place on Tuesday afternoon in suburban Belton, Missouri, outside Kansas City, after agents on a tactical team tried to arrest the man as part of a domestic terrorism investigation.
It was not clear whether the man was killed by FBI agents or died by suicide. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officials identified the man as Timothy Wilson, 36.
According to officials, Wilson had expressed racist and anti-government sentiments. He had been under FBI scrutiny since September, and the authorities said that at one point he had considered attacking multiple targets, including a school with a large number of black students, as well as a mosque and a synagogue.
"Wilson considered various targets and ultimately settled on an area hospital in an attempt to harm many people, targeting a facility that is providing critical medical care in today's environment," the FBI said in a statement.
Last week, Belton's mayor issued a stay-at-home order for its residents. Authorities said Wilson said he felt compelled to act because of the mayor's order and intended to use a car bomb to cause mass casualties at the hospital.
The FBI is reviewing the shooting, as is standard anytime agents are involved in shootings.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there were eight known cases of the coronavirus in suburban areas of Cass County, which includes Belton. The Belton police have had to issue a statement about false information on social media.