Texan allegedly “threatened lynching and murder,” says Justice Department

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Texas man is facing charges in federal court for allegedly threatening to lynch and kill Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk.

David Aaron Bloyed, 59, of Frost, Texas, is facing charges for allegedly threatening violence against an elected official.

The Justice Department said members of an anti-Semitic hate group were demonstrating in downtown Nashville in mid-July when they encountered an employee at a local bar. A fight broke out and one member was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for repeatedly striking the employee with a metal flagpole with a swastika flag attached to the top.

While in Nashville, members of the neo-Nazi group posted their activities on various social media platforms, including Telegram. The Justice Department said that after the arrest of one of its members, a Telegram user associated with the group posted threats against DA Funk that included a picture of him with the caption “Getting the Rope” and an emoji finger pointing at Funk's picture.

“The posts also included a photo of a person hanging by the neck from a gallows with the phrases 'The Rope List just grew by a few more Nashville Jews today' and 'Will you survive the day of the rope?' Law enforcement subsequently identified another social media account with a nearly identical username belonging to Bloyed that contained threats nearly identical to those posted on the Telegram account,” the Justice Department said.

If convicted, Bloyed faces up to five years in a federal prison.

“In a functioning democracy, we simply cannot tolerate threats of violence against elected officials,” said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “The charges announced today are just the latest example of the Department's commitment to protecting public servants and upholding the rule of law.”

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