A man who allegedly fabricated a plan to bomb a Missouri hospital was killed after a shootout with Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, according to reports by authorities on Wednesday.
The said encounter that costed that man's life took place Tuesday afternoon at Belton, Mo., after agents on FBI's tactical team tried to arrest the man after conducting a domestic terrorism investigation.
However, it was not clearly stated by the authorities if the man was killed by FBI agents or if he killed himself. After being fatally shot, the man was taken to the hospital where he died. The man was identified as Timothy R. Wilson.
The FBI agents reportedly served the 36-year-old suspect a probable cause warrant in Belton after their long-running investigation on his involvement on a possible domestic investigation, based on the statement by Kansas City FBI's special agent in charge, Timothy Langan.
The authority's statement, however, did not detail what happened during the encounter after the agents served the warrant but stated that Wilson was armed, injured in the shootout and died in the hospital.
Suspect was a potentially violent extremist
Moreover, the FBI said that Wilson was identified as a potentially violent extremist who was motivated by racial, religious and anti-government beliefs, after monthslong investigation. It was also stated that he had planned to bomb a hospital in Kansas City using a "vehicle-borne" explosive he improvised.
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The bureau also stated that Wilson has been under scrutiny since September and that he has considered multiple targets fot his attack which included a school with a large number of black students, a mosque and a synagogue. Further saying that he ultimately settled for the hospital as target planning to harm many people since the hospital is providing critical care given today's situation.
Hospital targeted provided critical care for COVID-19 patients
The hospital he targeted is currently providing care for patients who were affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The statement also said that the suspect has already acquired materials enough to build a bomb which could cause mass casualties and severe harm.
In addition, the FBI also stated that their Joint Terrorism Task Force kept a close eye on Wilson and said that they were about to arrest him when he picked up what they thought was a bomb. During the investigation, the bureau was working with federal prosecutors from the United States Attorney's office in Kansas City.
It can be recalled that last week, the mayor of Belton issued an order which decreed residents to stay at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to authorities, Wilson stated that he felt compelled to act and try to end the outbreak by using a "car bomb" to cause massive casualties in the hospital. Belton has already reported eight known confirmed cases of the virus which first emerged in Wuhan, China late in December of 2019, as of Wednesday.
As part of their protocol, every time agents are involved in shootouts, the FBI is still reviewing the incident.
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