A man from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is in federal custody after being charged with making threats against a journalist in New York. The 35-year-old Austin Suman was arrested following allegations that he threatened to kill the reporter and her family, as well as to blow up her house.
Local authorities, including the FBI, were heavily present in the Cresswind neighborhood during his arrest. Suman is currently at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.
The federal charges against Suman include threatening interstate communications, making threats involving explosives, and interstate stalking. Authorities noted that these threats stemmed from a personal issue related to his previous arrest that the reporter had covered. In February 2019, Suman was accused of pointing a gun at a roommate.
According to a federal complaint, Suman also used racial and ethnic slurs towards the reporter while making threats. He is set to be transferred to New York to face the charges.
After Suman’s arrest, his mother defended him in an interview, stating that the reporter had a negative impact on her son’s life. She described the journalist as sensationalist and argued that the charges from his past were dropped and that he was never convicted. She requested privacy for their family during this difficult time.
Residents of the Cresswind neighborhood expressed shock over the police presence. One neighbor described the scene as frightening, recalling seeing officers with rifles and shields. Authorities left the area by early afternoon on the day of the incident.
Updates on the situation will continue to be provided as the case develops.
