FORT WORTH, Texas — A North Texas man has been arrested and charged with terroristic threat and cruelty to a non-livestock animal after allegedly shooting and killing a dog and threatening to kill others, according to police.
The Fort Worth Police Department said officers responded at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, to All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist, located in the 1900 block of Sandy Lane, for a call about a dead dog that was found in the community garden. When officers arrived, the caller led them to where the dead dog was found. Officers also discovered a rifle with multiple shell casings near the dog.
At 4:30 p.m. later that same day, officers were dispatched to the same location for a call about a man holding a shotgun inside of the church. When officers got to the church, they found the man, identified as 26-year-old Roman Collins, standing near a firearm and immediately detained him, police said. Church officials said in a statement that Collins was an attendee of the church for the past few months.
According to the church, an administrator was alone in the building when he heard someone walk into the backdoor, who turned out to be Collins. Collins was wearing a tactical vest, stuffed with ammunition, guns in his possession, the church stated. The administrator spoke calmly to Collins, who admitted to killing the dog and "planned further carnage," the church said in its statement.
The administrator told Collins he had to put something in the office, then left the church through a side door, called 911 and told police that Collins had made threatening statements about killing people. Officers responded quickly and arrested Collins. Police searched Collins and found several weapons, including a shotgun, a large fixed blade style knife, a handgun, several loaded magazines, medical equipment and a water canteen.
Officers then searched Collins' truck and found a rifle that had been converted to accept handgun magazines.
“We believe this was not an attack on the church’s progressive values, but the actions of a lone disturbed individual,” said Dan Sexton, board president of All Peoples Unitarian Universalist Church. “The Fort Worth Police does not consider this a hate crime.”
The church told WFAA the dog was later identified as Collins' pet.
Out of precaution, Fort Worth PD's Homeland Security Unit requested the Fort Worth Fire Department Arson/Bomb Unit to conduct a security sweep of the church, courtyard and the suspect’s vehicle for explosive devices. The Fort Worth Police Department SWAT unit later conducted a search warrant at Collins’ home with the assistance of the FBI and ATF.
Collins was booked into the Fort Worth City Jail on charges of terroristic threat, cruelty to a non-livestock animal, and places weapons prohibited.
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