Willard Man Arrested for Threatening Mass Shooting’s at Church, School

A Willard man is facing charges after making phone calls and sending emails saying he was going to ‘shoot up’ a church and a school.

30-year-old Nathan Elleson is charged with terroristic threats after calling the FBI’s National Threat Operation on April 27 saying he was going to conduct a mass shooting at a school, but that he hadn’t picked a specific one.

On the same day, he emailed Life Church in Springfield, a church had attended recently, threatening, “I have plans to shoot up this church on Sunday.”

Elleson also contacted his parents, sending threatening text messages about assassinating the pastor at their church, Joel Osteen. They are members of the congregation at the Lakewood Christian mega church.

Following his arrest, Elleson admitted to his actions, stating he has a drinking problem and was drunk at the time of the interactions.

Elleson has been booked in the Greene County Jail.