Man, 51, is arrested for making terroristic threats after he dressed as The Joker and said he'd 'kill a bunch of people' during Facebook livestream
- Jeremy Joseph Garnier, 51, donned a full face of clown makeup in the style of the Batman villain
- He drove to the Blueberry Hill bar and restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri and said on video: 'I'm going to start killing people until this reaches 1,000 [viewers]'
- The incident evokes memories of the July 20, 2012 Aurora, Colorado mass shooting where James Holmes killed 12 people and injured 70 others
- Garnier tells arresting police he is 'not armed' and 'except all these bombs'
- The charging document doesn't indicate whether he was in possession of any explosives or was otherwise armed
A man who dressed as The Joker and live-streamed himself threatening to kill people has been arrested for making terroristic threats at a restaurant in St Louis, Missouri.
Jeremy Joseph Garnier, 51, donned a full face of clown makeup in the style of the Batman villain and drove to the Blueberry Hill bar and restaurant around 8.15pm claiming his aim was to draw attention to the opioid epidemic that has gripped the country.
Garnier said in the nearly hourlong Facebook Live video: 'I'm going to start killing people until this reaches 1,000 [viewers], and once it reaches 1,000, I'm going to go out in public and I'm going to kill more.
'We're not going to go to any movie theaters. We're going to go totally unarmed because we don't want to alert the authorities into thinking we might be on an actual rampage.'
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Jeremy Joseph Garnier, 51, donned a full face of clown makeup in the style of the Batman villain
On Tuesday was arrested by University Police for making terroristic threats in Missouri
The words evoked memories of the July 20, 2012 Aurora, Colorado mass shooting where James Holmes killed 12 people and injured 70 others at a Century 16 screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
In the video this week Garnier orders a soda and tells the barman: 'I don't drink alcohol. Yeah, I can't be inebriated when I'm planning on, you know, killing a bunch of people.
'It's not something you can do. I'm live on Facebook right now. I've got like nearly 2,000 people watching me.'
Before ordering his Sprite, Garnier is seen on video telling staff asking for his ID that he's 48 years old.
He comments on Joe Edwards, the owner of the restaurant and the man associated with revitalizing the Delmar Loop area by introducing the Loop Trolley, St Louis Walk of Fame, Tivoili Movie Theater and Pin-Up Bowl among other popular locations.
Gazing at his collection of The Simpsons memorabilia, Garnier asks: 'I wonder if he has The Joker.'
He directs the camera out of the window, saying he spots police: 'I think they're looking for me, but it's OK.'
He's seen dressing the part at home then heading out in his car while talking about the opioid epidemic
The incident took place at the Blueberry Hill bar and restaurant around 8.15pm cops said
![Garnier says in the clip: 'I'm going to start killing people until this reaches 1,000 [viewers]'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/05/17/25584628-8079155-image-a-40_1583427738898.jpg)
Garnier says in the clip: 'I'm going to start killing people until this reaches 1,000 [viewers]'. He tells arresting police he is 'not armed' and 'except all these bombs'
The University City Police Department responded to the 6500 block of the Delmar Loop after they received a report of a disturbance involving a male subject dressed in a costume.
It's unclear who made calls but police reported the caller or callers said the suspect was making threats via the Facebook Live app.
Police said they had previously been advised he was on the 6300 block, inside of a business. He was earlier asked to leave the St Louis Galleria.
When cops approach him the University City resident said: 'I'm not armed and I weigh 150 pounds. I don't have no weapons on me. I'm not going to do nothing. You've got me messed up. Except all these bombs.'
After officers searched the area, the suspect was taken into custody, without incident for various violations.
The arrest came minutes after making the shooting comments. But the long clip includes him talking to the camera in a bedroom where he is putting on a costume, driving in his car, smoking a pipe and visiting a mall in Richmond Heights.
He said in the video: 'We're not going to go to any movie theaters. We're going to go totally unarmed because we don't want to alert the authorities into thinking we might be on an actual rampage'
He appears to be emulating the movie villain portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in The Joker (pictured left). James Holmes shot dead 12 people at a Dark Knight Rises screening in 2012 (right)
Court documents noted that he was a 'danger to the community.' Court records did not list an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
The charging document doesn't indicate whether he was in possession of any explosives or was otherwise armed.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has charged him for Terrorist Threats 1st Degree. A judge ordered Garnier to be held without bond.
A GoFundMe page created for Garnier claims he 'someone reported mistakenly that he was making 'threats' when he was only playing a role.'
It hopes to raise $5,000 for an attorney retainer fee and had $436 by Thursday morning.
'While this was undoubtedly not Jeremy's best decision considering the consequences...he was not threatening anyone,' the crowdfunding organizer writes.
'As he says... he was chasing 'clout'...trying to increase his Facebook viewers and bring attention to the opiate crisis plaguing this country. This is an extremely serious felony charge...
'I'm asking for your help so I can retain an attorney to get Jeremy a psych evaluation to show he truly is not a threat to society and to hopefully get a bond and get these charges dropped or at least reduced.'
A social media image shows he has donned similar makeup for his part as 'Clouty the Clown' in a male revue show.
A GoFundMe page created for Garnier claims he 'someone reported mistakenly that he was making 'threats' when he was only playing a role
A social media image shows he has donned similar makeup for his part as 'Clouty the Clown' in a male revue show
