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ORLANDO, Fla. - Authorities in Brevard County say a Georgia man has been arrested after he made a series of violent and threatening calls to the Palm Bay Police Department.
What we know:
Between May 26 and June 14, police say Anthony Pettrone, 32, made multiple threats, including claiming to have planted a bomb in City Hall and threatening to kill officers on and off duty. Investigators matched the voice and phone number in each call to Pettrone, leading to his arrest.
He is now facing charges including a second-degree felony for making a false report about planting a bomb and a first-degree misdemeanor for making threats to law enforcement.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the threats or whether Pettrone had prior interactions with law enforcement. It's also unclear if he has legal representation or when he will be extradited to Florida to face charges. No information has been released about potential mental health evaluations or other background details.
The backstory:
The series of threats began on May 26 with a bomb threat targeting Palm Bay City Hall, followed by a false report of a murder and later explicit threats to kill officers. The threats escalated in tone and frequency over several weeks, prompting a detailed investigation by Palm Bay detectives, who ultimately identified Pettrone as the caller using forensic and technical methods.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Palm Bay Police Department.