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William Dunbar, a national guardsman
accused of threatening to kill Vice
President Mike Pence, has a violent
past that includes making threats
on his own life, according to
testimony in federal court by
Secret Service Special Agent
Keith Heckman.
Heckman, who conducted an investigation
in Dunbars past after he was arrested
last month, detailed a past of threats
of suicide, violence and a short
fuse, citing interviews he did
with people who knew Dunbar.
This testimony came during a detention
hearing in the U.S. District Court
for Western Pennsylvania to decide
whether Dunbar presented too much
of a risk to the community to be let
out while awaiting trial.
Heckman said Dunbar was barred from
having a weapon during his duties with
the National Guard because a military
psychologist was worried he would
hurt other people or himself.
Heckman also said that investigators
found five firearms at a home that Dunbar
either lived or stayed at although
Dunbars attorney pointed out that
investigators did not find anything
resembling plans for an assassination.
Dunbar was accused last month of
threatening to kill Pence during
Pence's visit to the Flight 93 National
Memorial on September 11th of this year.
Witnesses told Heckman that Dunbar yelled
obscenities about the vice president a
few days before the 11th, at on point
allegedly saying "I'll make a terroristic
threat. I'll kill him."
During an interview with Dunbar, Heckman
said Dunbar instead told him he never
directly threatened Pences life, instead
suggesting, perhaps hypothetically, that
Pence's visit to Johnstown would be a good
time to do it and that he would do it if
he was paid enough money.
Heckman said Dunbar told him what he said
about Pence was a joke, although Heckman
said witnesses told him they were "scared"
and took the threat seriously, given
Dunbar's past.
Heckman cited a number of unnamed community
members and soldiers when addressing
Dunbar's past, prompting pointed questions
from Dunbar's attorney about what was
contained in Dunbar's official criminal
record.
The federal judge presiding over the case
said he would have a decision by Friday
on whether Dunbar would have to stay in
jail until a trial.
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