GREAT FALLS — Shannon Wilson, a Great Falls city commissioner, received a threatening email while serving on a nonprofit board, prompting her to contact police and highlighting growing concerns about public official safety.
Wilson said she received an email through a nonprofit board's contact page that called board members "terrorists" and stated "we have all your addresses" and "are you afraid you should be."
Tim McGonigal reports - watch the video here:
"It's all in caps. And then he signed it 'Charlie Kirk,'" Wilson said, a reference to the conservative activist who was shot dead in Utah last month.
Wilson reported the incident to the Great Falls Police Department. Police determined the email originated from overseas through a proxy server, makingthe investigation challenging.
"When they start using proxy servers or it comes from other states, it makes that investigation very challenging, difficult, and particularly when it's sent from overseas, we can only take it so far and then the investigation ends," Great Falls Police Chief Jeff Newton said.
Newton said the email did not rise to the level of a criminal offense, but Wilson said the threat has left her on edge. As a military veteran who suffers from PTSD, Wilson said the incident has made her "really hypersensitive."
"I served this country so that people can have their say, have the freedom to express their opinions and stuff. But also, being in the military, I've suffered from PTSD, so that has me really hypersensitive right now and stuff like this," Wilson said.
Wilson said she regularly encounters upset citizens at commission meetings and receives angry phone calls about city issues. She recently took a 12-minute call from someone yelling about utility rates.
"There's angry people, you know, angry about different issues. But this kind of takes it a step further, saying, we know your address," Wilson said.
The commissioner is now taking precautions, including carrying pepper spray and watching her surroundings more carefully. While she has a concealed weapons permit, Wilson said she would rather not carry a gun.
Wilson is not alone in receiving threats. At a recent city commission meeting, City Manager Greg Doyon said the issue was discussed at a community leader meeting in Billings after another city manager received a death threat.
"When you go over the line and go from a little bit of frustration to outright threats that's just not the way to go," Doyon said.
Newton said police communicate with city commissioners and school board members about potential security concerns. While staffing levels don't always allow for officers at public meetings, police provide extra security when dangerous situations are anticipated.
"Not everybody is going to agree with public officials. It's just the nature of that's the great part about being in our country, because people have that right to civilly disagree. I would just ask that we continue to be civil in our disagreements, our discussions," Newton said.
Wilson echoed the call for civility in political discourse.
"There's too much anger right now and everybody needs to chill. Be happy, be positive. Because you can get a lot more done being positive and negative," Wilson said.
