Benjamin Perrine, a 44-year-old resident of 1 Plumtree Place in Palm Coast, was arrested overnight after he posted a threat on a Facebook page that he was going to blow up his neighborhood and Buddy Taylor Middle School, a few blocks away from his house. He was upset about his lost dog, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is reporting.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has the only bomb squad in a four-county area that includes Volusia, St. Johns, Flagler and Putnam counties.
“We had school as usual,” Mike Judd, the school district’s senior administrator for facilities, said. “According to the sheriff’s department, there wasn’t any threat to the school but as an abundance of caution their bomb canine unit was available so we had them come down to the school.”
Judd said that as far as was known, Perrine “is not familiar to us as a parent or employee or anything like that.”
Stephen Hinson, principal at Buddy Taylor Middle School, issued an automated call to parents that summarized the issue and assured parents and students that authorities ” took immediate action against the perpetrator to ensure our campus was safe and ready for learning when our student’s arrived.” He added: “The Flagler County School District believes that the student’s and faculty’s safety is of the upmost concern and the highest priority of the Flagler County School District, while providing a quality education for our students.”
Perrine’s Facebook writings left little to the imagination. “Bet I can level a whole neighborhood,” Perrine wrote, according to a police report. “And the school in front level it too. Hah hah.” He also wrote: “Think I’m going to tattoo myself then blow up this and go. Take the piece of shits who took nookie. My turn lol. Who cares lets have fun fuck them kids going grow up to be like mom and dad kill now no kills later.”
Perrine said he would use C4, a plastic explosive commonly used during the Vietnam war, to carry out his threats. “”Sad part,” he wrote, “I got more c4 than the army has I’m going to get to the people who did this to nookie. He didn’t harm no one. But I will. Bet that. Now no free love love hippie no more. Kill them all blow the whole neighborhood up now. My turn.” He also extended his postings to include racist epithets at blacks and finished, “I got the whole block rigged. I’m going to level everyone. 100 pounds of c4 placed all over got the wire so I can push a button everything goes up.”
When units of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrived at Perrine’s home, they noticed the markings, “Death to all,” on his driveway. Loud music was emanating from inside.
Perrine, who’s been booked into the county jail in Flagler twice before on minor charges–a marijuana possession and a failure to appear in court–was being held at the jail on a charge of a false report of planting a bomb. He was arrested by Flagler County sheriff’s deputies around 12:13 a.m. at his home.
“We responded quickly to this threat. Deputies were at the man’s house within minutes of being notified. The house was thoroughly search and no explosives were found,” Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming said in a release.
Deputies found Perrine unresponsive. He did not answer the door as deputies tried several times to make contact with him. Deputies said they could see the man sitting slouched on his couch with his feet on a table and his eyes closed.
Deputies entered the home through an unlocked rear door and immediately checked on Perrine’s condition. After several attempts to wake him, Perrine finally responded and became hostile while deputies were there.
He said he was upset because his dog was missing and he thought someone had killed it. He said, according to the sheriff’s release, that he didn’t care about any of his neighbors and was tired of having law enforcement called to his residence for noise complaints.
Deputies searched his home for explosives and none were found.
Taylor says
This is really scary considering i live around the corner from him..
Anthony Cuthbert says
I didn’t get a phone call, including a bunch of other parents. I doubt that happened.
Clint says
This country has become way to PARANOID. Their afraid of their own shadow anymore. And this country has got to learn to STOP telling the world about your problems on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and all the other
social networking “pits of hell”. I really WISH that the electric grid would CRASH in America for about a year, just so we can learn how to be HUMAN again !!!!!!
Mr. Smith says
You have to be on the defensive with all the crazies out there. Being prepared and being afraid are two different things. If this guy had actually carried out his threat you would be complaining that the FCSO did not do anything when the man posted it on face book. In this day in age you have to error on the side of caution. We can’t just sit back and wait on some nut job to plant a bomb or shoot the school up before we do something. We all need to exercise our 2nd amendment right and go get our CCW. As citizens, police, emergency service personnel and military we need to defend our country against all threats by whatever means.
Melissa Maurer-Roman says
why! oh why! Did they search the school while in session and not BEFORE since they got the call at 1am, shame on everyone, those kids should not have been allowed into front door until it was searched!!!
Geezer says
There’s a whack-a-doo on every block, it seems.
44 is a little old for this reckless stupidity. Ya think?
A Facebook and Twitter-twit reject who is Stewart Marchman-bound.
Maybe he can tweet for real now, like a dodo bird. Or a doodoo bird. (pick one)
Lisa Smith Sowers says
Yep…I found out first by reading fb. I got a call from Mr.Hinson(principal) on my answering machine at 2:30pm. After school had already been dismissed.
Colleen Conklin says
This is the message that was read by Mr. Hinson in a robo call home yesterday about 2:30.
“This call is to inform you that the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office received notification at 1 AM this morning about an alleged bomb threat made on FACEBOOK for Buddy Taylor Middle School. The FCSO took immediate action against the perpetrator to ensure our campus was safe and ready for learning when our student’s arrived.
The Flagler County School District believes that the student’s and faculty’s safety is of the upmost concern and the highest priority of the Flagler County School District, while providing a quality education for our students”
“According to the sheriff’s department, there wasn’t any threat to the school but as an abundance of caution their bomb canine unit was available so we had them come down to the school.” From what I was told they were just being overly cautious and having it rechecked. My son attends BTMS and I felt very comfortable that they did everything they needed to do to deal with the situation. If you did not get a call, I would definitely call the school to be sure they have the right phone number on file. It can be something as simple as a number has been transposed when being put into the system.
Concerned Parent says
I did not receive this message and many other parents did not! I have my cell, house, and husbands cell listed to not receive anything. I about died when I saw this on fb and was sent a link by my child to Flagler Live.
I as well spoke with staff at Buddy Taylor and was informed they had not received any contact from anyone or the kids would not have been there on grounds, however they found out by reading something online and Buddy Taylor contacted the authorties to have them come check the school.
Reality Check says
Oh you felt comfortable, we should all be relieved that a FCSB member was confident, If you were confident there was no threat why waste tax payers monety to bring in the SJCO Bomb Squad. And the fact that they came in 30 min after the children entered the building is a problem, someone felt the threat was real enough to look into, yet the FCSD let the kids in. The School Board and the Administration should be reprimanded for poor judgement in a child’s safety over this incident. The law states child endangerment is a crime, even if it was a 1% chance it was true do you think we should have let the children and teachers in? sound like child endangement.
Stephen Hinson, principal at Buddy Taylor Middle School, issued an automated call to parents that summarized the issue and assured parents and students that authorities ” took immediate action against the perpetrator to ensure our campus was safe and ready for learning when our student’s arrived
I like how the FCSD is always saying they are on top of things, note where he says above “Ready for learning when our students arrived”. But the Bomb squad did not get there until 8am, 30 min after school started, so did we really provide a safe environment? I know about being paranoid and that nothing was found at the perpetrators ‘s home. My point is the FCSD always wants to sound as though they do the best job ever about anything they do, obviously they let these kids enter a building they may have been rigged to explode. I know nothing was found, but, if you were concerned enough to call the Bomb Squad in shouldn’t you wait to open the doors to students until you are 100% satisfied it is really safe/ Just saying it was poor judgment on the administrations part to assume it was safe enough to have the children enter the building.
The FCSB is nothing more than 5 people looking to collect their 30K a year sallery and the pension that goes along with it. period.
Clint, You are right and wrong all in the same relm, paranoid yes, we take a drunk or a pot smoking idot’s threats on Facebook to seiously. Yet if we do not follow up then the blame of a known threat falls heavy on the Police, it is a catch 22. My concern is why let the kids in if you believed strongly enough to get the bomb squad involved? Never mind the fact of loss of life of children and facualty, later the legal ramifications could have crippled this already economicaly strugglring community
ANONYMOUScw says
This is the guy who was always with his dog outside of walmart and publix (old albertsons) panhandling. My brother’s g/f and I actually gave him some chicken tenders and waters one day and he immediately took one of three tenders and fed the rest to his dog. He was so happy to have food to feed her. We always assumed he was homeless, possibly just to broke to eat (?) either way he always had his dog… I know how much he loved her. I think he may have mental problems, also, and should be helped. He OBVIOUSLY was not going to BLOW UP ANYTHING and must have a reason to believe that some YOUNG people did something to his beloved companion. I hope they find his pup, and I hope he gets psychiatric evaluation and help.
Concerned Parent says
I can say Im livid with how this was handled by the school system! This threat was made what in the wee early morning hours before the children even arrived at the school which in return means US parents should have been notified ASAP as we are with every other thing by phone alert. I dont care what that comment above says “what was reported to FlaglerLive” I did not receive any call or my child would not have been there period until it was cleared by police. There was many failures on allowing us parents to make any choice due to the NO NOTIFICATION OF A BOMB THREAT. For example OUR CHILDREN should have NEVER been on those grounds until they were cleared and there was no threat, but instead we was not notified before our children was sent to school which could have had a bomb any place around it or in it. Instead it was cleared after ALL US PARENTS CHILDREN where already PRESENT AND IN THE SCHOOL. Thats absurd and dangerous! Might I add they had an Idal show last night at which many parents were volunteering, attending the performance and again lots of children but yet WE WERE NOT MADE AWARE. Thats again absurd and a lack of responsibility to the school system! My question to school board is what if there would have been a bomb? what it would have exploded? You would have put hundreds of children in 2 schools”Buddy Taylor and Wadsworth Elem.” in danger by not closing those schools until they were checked and cleared by the proper authorities. They are connected for gods sake and WE THE PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHATS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN AND WHATS SAFE NOT YOU. I can say this its pretty bad due to parents not being contacted which was admitted by staff to myself and others that you are not being held accountable for putting our children in 2 schools in danger of being harmed or killed. I dont care how light the threat is people are crazy, drugged up, and psychotic in todays world you as a school board should have not taken any risk and had our children in those buildings. A kid cant chew gum without getting crap but you can allow our kids to walk in a building thats been uncleared into a possible bomb loaded building and thats suppose to be okay. Bullcrap and a lack of responsibility for this communties children in both schools. .
Colleen Conklin says
I’m sorry if what I wrote above was not clear. The Sheriff’s department felt as though there was “NO” cause for concern and that the building was safe for students. An abundance of caution was used to determine that the building was safe. The District would NEVER have allowed students to enter the building if it was cleared. The additional check was above and beyond. From what I was told they were just being overly cautious and having it rechecked. My son attends BTMS and I felt very comfortable that they did everything they needed to do to deal with the situation. Again, If you did not get a call, I would definitely call the school to be sure they have the right phone number on file. It can be something as simple as a number has been transposed when being put into the system. They have a student population that is over 1,000 and most families got the call.
Reality Check says
Sorry but you are a typical political flip-flop, No matter how you try to flip it once the police searched the building it shows they were concerned and the people should never have been let in. If they were a 100% certain there was no justification why search? because someone felt it was warranted after they realized their political career may be on the line, after all it is election time.
lol flagler #genius says
all im going to say is everytime a bomb threat was made at my school(s) in jax , we were evacuated , sent to another school or waited to even go into ours while the officers search… they at leat had the common sense to say hey if something does blow up lets make sure the kids are out , not while they”re learning…. so we have bad procedures , most likely 100 cops showed up , didnt even evacuate the kids and yall are still pigs nuff said f this county