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St. Louis County man threatens to 'shoot up' church over mask request

Radiant Life Church in St. Louis.png
Posted at 5:58 PM, Dec 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-30 18:58:47-05

JENNINGS, Mo. — A former church employee has been charged with threatening to “shoot up” the church after he was asked to wear a mask, according to St. Louis County authorities.

Timothy Percy Taylor, 29, was fired from Radiant Life in Christ Church in Jennings on Dec. 6 after he became upset when a co-worker asked him to wear a mask inside the building, KSDK-TV reported. The co-worker told police Taylor threatened to “pop” the employee and “shoot up the whole church," according to court documents.

Taylor returned to sit in the church parking lot several times, according to the documents, and also sent texts threatening the co-worker's family.

When Taylor was arrested Dec. 20 across the street from the church, he had three loaded firearms in his possession, according to the charging documents.

Online court records do not name an attorney for Taylor. He was being held on $50,000 cash only bond. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5.

For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the 41 Action News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the 41 Action News Mug Shot Policy.