Brandon Griesemer, Who Threatened To Kill CNN Staff Over 'Fake News,' Arrested

A man from Michigan was arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot and kill CNN employees at its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, according to a federal affidavit unsealed Friday. He called the news network "fake news" and said he was "coming to gun you all down."

According to a CNN report, the man, identified as Brandon Griesemer, 19, made 22 calls to the news network on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10. He was a part-time grocery store from Novi, Michigan.

Griesemer allegedly told a CNN operator, "Fake news. I'm coming to gun you all down."

He called again later and said, "I'm smarter than you. More powerful than you. I have more guns than you. More manpower. Your cast is about to get gunned down in a matter of hours."

"I am coming to Georgia right now to go to the CNN headquarters to f---ing gun every single last one of you," he added.

The FBI launched an investigation following this and arrested Griesemer last week.

Griesemer was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Friday with transmitting interstate communications with the intent to extort and threat to kidnap or injure. He was later released under a $10,000 bond, CNN reported.

Brian Stelter, senior media correspondent for CNN, tweeted Monday that the company took all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees.

Griesemer was earlier under the radar of Michigan authorities after he called the Islamic center in Ann Arbor on Sept. 19, 2017, and made derogatory comments about Muslims and the mosque.

The Ann Arbor police traced the call to Greisemer's father using an online database. They then went to the house in Novi where Greisemer lived with his parents. His mother told the police her son had called the mosque, the affidavit said. In a call to Ann Arbor police later the same day, Griesemer admitted to making the call and said "he was angry at the time," the affidavit said.

FBI officials said Greisemer used the same number to call the CNN headquarters, according to the affidavit.

It may be noted that President Donald Trump, in the past, made several attacks on the media, including CNN, calling coverage about his work and administration "fake news." CNN was also among the winners of the president’s "Fake News Awards" last week.

Recently, Trump retweeted an edited image of him with a CNN logo in a splatter of blood on the bottom of his shoe. Earlier, he also retweeted an edited video showing him attacking a man with a CNN logo on his head, the Hill reported. Trump's actions often invited criticisms from journalists, who warned that it could lead to actual acts of violence against reporters.

A CNN analysis said Trump attacked the media on Twitter more times than he tweeted about jobs and the military as president.