Missouri man accused of assaulting FBI agent investigating threats at Jewish sites

A 25-year-old Urich, Mo., man has been charged with assaulting an FBI agent who was investigating threats against Jewish synagogues and centers, including some in the Kansas City area.

Ford Kevin Coots was charged in a criminal complaint last week in the U.S. District Court of Western Missouri with one count of assaulting a federal officer.

The alleged assault occurred last week when FBI agents went to Coots’ home in the 700 block West Sixth Street in Urich, Mo., to serve a search warrant.

The agents were investigating bomb and shooting threats made against the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and the Beth Shalom synagogue, both in Overland Park, and the Kol Ami synagogue in Kansas City. They were also investigating a threat against the Ohev Shalom synagogue in Washington D.C. that appeared to originate from Missouri.

In April, a person called the Ohev Shalom synagogue in Washington D.C. and said there were 66 bombs that would go off on April 30.

That call was traced to the home of Coot’s mother in Kingsville, Mo. When agents went there in June, they spoke to her husband, who said the two lived there alone and that they had not made threatening calls.

On July 9, a man twice called the Jewish Community Center, saying there was a bomb there and that he was “going to put bullets in your heads.”

A man also called the Beth Shalom synagogue, saying there was a bomb there and he was going to shoot them.

It was later discovered that a similar call was made the same day to the Kol Ami synagogue.

Also on July 9, the FBI received information through its online tip line at tips.fbi.gov from a person identifying himself as the “mastermind” behind the bomb threats.

The tipster allegedly identified himself as Ford Joseph Holloway and said he lived in the 700 block of West Sixth Street in Urich, Mo.

According to court documents, the tipster said the FBI should be prepared for a fight because he “would be armed and attempt to rake some of you down before you kill me . . .”

The FBI traced the tip back to a Grandview business owned by Coots’ mother. When they contacted her on July 10, she said Coots was her son and that he sometimes uses the name Ford Joseph Holloway.

She told FBI agents that her son has “mental health issues” that began after his father’s suicide in 2008. She allegedly told them she believed he was capable of making the threats based on his recent behavior.

When FBI agents contacted Coots on July 13, he allegedly denied that he had left threatening messages at the synagogues or sent the tip to the FBI.

But call records obtained by the FBI showed calls were made July 9 to the Jewish Community Center and the Kol Ami Synagogue from a telephone number allegedly used by Coots.

The FBI obtained a search warrant on Nov. 15 and executed it Thursday.

Agents said they found Coots in a bedroom holding a shovel in an aggressive manner. When they entered, Coots allegedly swung and jabbed a shovel toward the agents.

Coots allegedly struck one of the agents in the hand, knocking the agent’s firearm out of his hand. The weapon ejected an unspent cartridge and was disabled.

After spraying Coots with pepper spray, agents tried to subdue him. Coots allegedly continued to swing and jab the shovel at them, striking another agent in the chest.

Agents said Coots reached for a bottle of liquid with what appeared to be a fuse attached. When told to drop the bottle, Coots allegedly told them to “just shoot and kill” him.

Agents eventually subdued Coots and handcuffed him.

This story was originally published December 3, 2017 at 1:46 PM with the headline "Missouri man accused of assaulting FBI agent investigating threats at Jewish sites."