Ohio Man Arrested on Terror Charges, July Fourth Plot Thwarted

Demetrius Pitts — also known as Abdur Raheem Rafeeq and Salahadeen Osama Waleed — now faces one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.

Staff Writer
July 2, 2018

An Ohio man who had plotted to attack a Fourth of July celebration in downtown Cleveland was arrested by a Joint Terrorism Task Force, according to the Dayton Daily News.

Demetrius Pitts — also known as Abdur Raheem Rafeeq and Salahadeen Osama Waleed — now faces one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.

Posing as a member of al Qaeda, an undercover agent recorded Pitts saying that he planned on launching an attack in Cleveland for al Qaeda on the 4th of July — during the parade or fireworks at Voinovich Park near a U.S. Coast Guard Station and the Celebreeze Federal Building.

Pitts first came to the attention of the FBI in 2015, after reportedly sending a suspicious message to a California-based political commentary show, and posting messages threatening violence against the U.S. on his social media account.

About the Author
Staff Writer
Editorial
View Bio
Recommended
Skydio X10 Sheriff
Webinars
A Race Against Time: How DFR Technology Rescued a Missing Child
7 Ways Gps Fleet Tracking Helps Government Fleets Succeed
7 Ways GPS Fleet Tracking Helps Government Fleets Succeed
375x480 Data Driven Policing Cover Thumbnail 1195772168 En Na Final Sept23 (1)
Data-Driven Policing: Leveraging Telematics for Optimized Police Fleet Performance
Banner Final Skydio X10 Outdoor Shipping Yard
Webinars
DFR at Work: OKCPD’s Drones Help Find Six Missing Persons
Related Stories
Among the illegal drugs seized were what police describe as “Trump-shaped ecstasy pills,” with an image of the president on one side, and the words “great again” printed on the other. Image courtesy of Indiana State Police.
Patrol
Indiana Police Seize "Trump-Shaped Ecstasy Pills"
Police Tape
Patrol
California Campus Security Officer Stabbed to Death, Suspect Killed
Trooper Nicholas Clark (Photo: New York State Police)
Patrol
New York Trooper Killed During Domestic Call
Photo: Haix
Patrol
Nominate the July HAIX Hero of the Month
More in Patrol
Patrol
Indiana Deputy Dies from Wounds Suffered Sept. 1, Organs Donated
Wednesday the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said Corporal Brandon Schreiber, shot on Sept. 1 while pursuing a suspect across the Illinois border in Sheldon, had died.
Corporal Brandon Schreiber of the Newton County (Indiana) Sheriff's Office was fatally shot by a suspect after a vehicle pursuit that ended in Illinois.
Patrol
Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Trump for Third Time
The FOP says it considered both candidates’ records and their answers to the police union’s questionnaire and a letter from the Harris-Walz campaign that described some of their positions on criminal justice and police labor issues.
Patrol
Phoenix Officer Dies Days After Being Shot by Suspected Car Thief
On Sept. 3, Officer Zane Coolidge and Officer Matthew Haney confronted a suspect breaking into a vehicle. During a foot pursuit, the officers were shot.
Phoenix Officer Zane Coolidge died Friday, days after he was shot while chasing after a vehicle theft suspect.
Patrol
Colorado Trooper Shot and Wounded in Patrol Vehicle, Suspect Killed
The shooting happened just after 1 p.m. in Westminster when the trooper was doing paperwork in the center median and a driver fired multiple shots out of an unknown vehicle.
Cpl. Tye Simcox of the Colorado State Patrol was shot and wounded while sitting in his patrol vehicle Saturday. He was able to return fire and kill the suspect, police say.
Technology
Axon's Report Generator
When using Draft One to speed up the report writing process, the responsibility for producing the complete report remains with the officer.
Axon's Draft One is designed to help officers produce high-quality reports in the field from body camera audio.
Patrol
2 Teachers, 2 Students Killed in Georgia School Shooting
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the school following reports of an active shooter at 10:30 a.m. The school was cleared by 11:30 a.m., and students were released to their families.
Patrol
San Diego Officer Critically Injured in Wreck Last Week Released from Hospital
Officer Zachary Martinez suffered burns, a broken neck and multiple facial injures from the crash that occurred on Aug. 26 just after 11:30 p.m. His partner Officer Austin Machitar died at the scene.
San Diego Police Officer Zachary Martinez is greeted by fellow officers as he goes home from the hospital. Martinez was severely injured and his partner was killed in a pursuit crash last week.
Patrol
Texas Deputy Constable Murdered Driving to Work, Suspect in Custody
The deputy was in his personal vehicle stopped at an intersection in west Houston when a man got out of his car, walked up to the deputy and shot him around 12:30 p.m.
Harris County458312745 921218256706559 2852199900608745864 N
Patrol
2 Phoenix Officers Wounded in Shooting, 1 Critical
“One officer was saved by his ballistic vest,” Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan said.
Patrol
Florida Deputy’s Lost Gun Sold for $40 on App
The gun was recovered, but the deputy will likely face a review by the department's professional standards division.
Patrol
Colorado Deputy Has Been First to Respond to 7 Wildfires This Summer
"We've been having a lot of grass fires. So oftentimes -- part of our job is -- we respond to all emergencies, and fire being one of them," Deputy Zack Ervin said.
Patrol
Indiana Deputy Critically Wounded in Gunfight, Suspect Killed
After the crash the suspect exited his vehicle and the suspect and the deputy were hit in an exchange of gunfire.
Corporal Brandon Schreiber of the Newton County (Indiana) Sheriff's Office was critically wounded Sunday in a gunfight at the end of a pursuit.
Page 1 of 2375
Next Page