HUDSON, Wis. - A Wisconsin 18-year-old has been charged with terrorist threats after reports that he made comments about shooting children, according to the criminal complaint.
The complaint filed in St. Croix County states that authorities received a call from Nor Lake Incorporated in Hudson, Wisconsin, informing them that an employee had made threats of violence. According to the complaint, the caller said Nicholas Henry Cherrier, 18, of New Richmond, had told several employees that he has an AR-15 in his trunk, and made comments about buying armor-piercing ammunition and a bullet-proof vest "to shoot a bunch of kids."
The complaint states that authorities also questioned another employee, who said Cherrier told him about buying ammunition, as well as magazines for his AR-15. The employee told investigators that when he asked Cherrier what he needed the magazines for, Cherrier responded, "to shoot kids," according to the complaint.
According to the criminal complaint, authorities arrested Cherrier to interview him, at which point he admitted to making comments about shooting kids, but said he was joking. He told investigators that he did have an AR-15 in the trunk of his vehicle.
After Cherrier was detained for questioning, investigators went to his home and talked with his father, who said he believed his son was joking. According to the complaint, the father was resistant to his other teenage children talking with police, and to police searching his son's car and room.
Investigators searched Cherrier's room after arranging for him to call his father from jail and give permission. The complaint states that Cherrier's room had many "Don't Tread on Me" flags on the walls, large amounts of ammunition in plain view, and many knives. Among the ammunition, the complaint states that investigators found five loaded 30-round AR-15 magazines.
According to the complaint, the room contained a loaded shotgun with six additional rounds attached to the side, not in the gun safe; and inside the gun safe, a hunting-style rifle and a Henry Repeating Arms .22 caliber rifle with a scope. Cherrier's father said the hunting-style rifle belonged to him.
Nicholas Cherrier is charged with one count of terrorist threats, and one count of disorderly conduct. He could face a maximum of three years and nine months in prison.
