Police: Suspect called father of police officer, told him his son 'was not safe'
Shawn Bonner
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 24-year-old man was arraigned for allegedly making terrorist threats against the police and in one case called in a threat to an officer's family.
Shawn Bonner appeared in court Wednesday, facing one count of False Report or Threat of Terrorism, a felony punishable by 20 years imprisonment. He is currently being held in Oakland County Jail and has a bond of $100,000 cash surety,
Bonner allegedly began making threats after a previous traffic stop in which he was charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer, then failing to appear in court. Bonner was released on a personal bond, even though he already failed to appear at court on a prior charge of resisting a police officer.
Then on June 9, 2024, police say Bonner called the Farmington Hills Police Department, referenced the traffic stop and threatened to beat and shoot Farmington Hills police officers.
The following day, Bonner called the father of one of the officers who arrested him and left a voicemail for the father who gave the officer’s home address and told them they "were not safe."
"Based upon his threats and dangerous behavior, detectives with the assistance of the Redford Police Department, located Bonner, (his girlfriend Kyrstin) Elliot, and their children driving in Redford, and attempted to arrest Bonner, who again refused to follow lawful orders to exit the vehicle, and instead directed Elliot to drive away from the scene," police said in a release.
Bonner allegedly barricaded himself and utilized his children as a shield to prevent his arrest and continued to threaten the detectives as they attempted to reason with the couple for 45 minutes.
Police say Bonner grabbed the car keys and jumped into the driver’s seat.
"Fearing Bonner would ram them or the police cars, detectives utilized a window punch to safely break the glass and take Bonner into custody," FHPD said.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, which issued a warrant Bonner with one count of False Report or Threat of Terrorism, a felony punishable by 20 years imprisonment.
Bonner first crossed paths with Farmington Hills police on May 23 after a traffic stop on a vehicle operating without insurance, in a car driven Elliott and occupied by Bonner, and their two young children.
Police found Bonner was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant from Redford’s 17th District Court for obstructing a police officer and failing to appear in court.
"When Farmington Hills officers attempted to arrest Bonner on the warrant, he lied about his identity and refused the officer’s requests to exit the vehicle," police said. "Bonner escalated the situation when he dove from the front seat into the back seat and barricaded himself among his young children."
FHPD said in that Bonner resisted being arrested, and Elliot began screaming at the officers and attempted to kick at officers.
"Farmington Hills Police officers relied on their training and experience to control the situation, while considering the resistance encountered, to ensure the young children were unharmed," police said.
After this incident, Kyrstin Elliott was charged with interfering with a police officer, and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant charging Shawn Bonner with Resisting and Obstructing a Police Officer, a felony punishable by two years imprisonment.
He was arraigned in the 47th District Court and On June 5, Bonner once again failed to appear at court preceding the threats and second traffic stop encounter.
"I am grateful to the men and women of the Police Department who put on the badge and serve this community with pride and honor daily," said Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King. "The Farmington Hills Police Department believes in procedural justice and conducts Constitutional policing in all its operations.
"In this case, Bonner disobeyed the rule of law, escalated situations that officers attempted to de-escalate, endangered his own family, and threatened officers and their families. I am concerned by the increasing lack of respect for the rule of law and Law Enforcement, and the confrontations it continues to create between the public and police."
Chief Jeff King would also like to thank Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald for her response to these threats made against the officers and Bonner's attempt to intimidate a witness which would disrupt the judicial process.