Kentucky police received threats this week amid an investigation into the ambush killing of one of their colleagues.
The FBI is examining the threats, which includes a message that “there is more to come,” reported ABC News.
Bardstown Officer Jason Ellis, 33, was killed several weeks ago in an ambush-style attack in the early morning hours as he was trying to clear road debris. Investigators think tree limbs were placed on the highway to block Ellis as he was going home.
Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin told the broadcaster that threats were made via phone calls and social media postings. One read: “One down, 20 to go.”
“To my knowledge, no other law enforcement agency in Kentucky has received any type of threat,” McCubbin said.
McCubbin said the department is not sure “if any of the threats are credible,” according to The Associated Press.
WHAS-TV in Louisville reported that the FBI is looking into postcards, note cards, and letters sent to the police department since Ellis was killed on Memorial Day weekend last month.
But McCubbin said his office would operate as usual.
“Our patrol officers are still out covering beats and making those runs,” he told AP. “We are not going to do our job in fear. We’re not going to retreat in any way.”
There will be a slight difference, however. All calls in Bardstown will be responded by two police officers instead of one, he said.
“If he will shoot and kill one police officer, what would prevent him from doing it to another. We want him in cuffs yesterday,” McCubbin told ABC.
