Police: Southport Man Threatened to Kill Illegal Immigrants on TikTok
Source: WISH-TV
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SOUTHPORT, Ind.–A man from Southport has been arrested on intimidation charges because police say he posted several comments on TikTok threatening to kill illegal immigrants.
58-year-old Preston Pickett was arrested January 16. He was being investigated by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s Intelligence Division. Investigators say Pickett began making threats on January 12.
A probable cause affidavit states that Pickett would comment on live stream videos stating on “Jan. 20, 2025, he would be torturing and killing as many ‘illegals’ as he could by exercising his Second Amendment rights.”
TikTok reported these comments:
- “I say you all are illegal and I am shooting on sight.”
- “Come j 20 I will shoot on sight I don’t check IDs so you all are illegal too me.”
- “I will have my kills on first day trump takes office.”
- “I don’t check I’d you all are illegal on my land and I am ready for hunting season on you
terrorists.”
- “I will be famous for killing the most illegals in one day.”
- “On January 20 I will start exercising my 2nd amendment on all illegals and imposters.”
- “I will kill many illegals on January 20.”
Throughout their investigation, IMPD detectives learned of previous threats Pickett made. In March 2024, Pickett was accused of making threats against a Florida car wash, threatening to “shoot the place up.”
In November 2023, an anonymous male called the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and said he would shoot employees as they walked out to their vehicles. Investigators believe Pickett was behind this call. They also think he threatened to shoot up a Florida car wash in March 2024.
When Pickett was arrested, IMPD officers say they met with Pickett at a home in Southport. Court documents say as soon as Pickett saw police, he “came out of the home and began screaming that police were complicit with the illegals in this country and continued to incoherently rant.”
His first hearing in court was Friday morning.
