ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man was arrested Thursday after he made posts to social media inciting looting and riots at the Orlando Premium Outlets, according to the Orlando Police Department.
On May 31, OPD’s Gang Unit had been monitoring social media for “intelligence, specifically related to publicly available posts, which encouraged, incited, organized, or advertised acts of violence and rioting inside the City of Orlando,” according to a report.
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Officers identified a post on Instagram that read, “Riot READYYY, Orlando WE FINNA (expletive) UP THE PREMIUM OUTLETS. Addy: 4951 International Drive, Orlando. WHEN: MONDAY JUNE VT! Everyone come! Bring mask to hide faces! MONDAY @l2am everyone come!!”
The post included a photo of a building engulfed in flames, a report showed. Officers said they alerted management at the outlet complex of the threat.
Officers said they linked the post to the Instagram account of Kelvin Williams III, 20, who was already known to police as a member of an Orlando street gang.
Based on the social media post and officers’ believed credibility of the threat, a warrant was obtained for Williams’ arrest.
Williams was taken into custody Thursday and was charged with inciting riots. He is being held at the Orange County Jail without bond.