Bentonville police arrested 20-year-old rapper Reese Alexander Sullivan, charging him with terroristic threatening due to lyrics in his music containing threats. Law enforcement officials listened to Sullivan's online music and discovered lyrics referencing harming the president, bombing the Senate, killing his grandmother, racist content about harming people and bombing churches, as well as references to violence against children, school shootings, and specific public event bombings. The FBI searched Sullivan's apartment on Halloween, finding no weapons or explosives.
Sullivan claimed he was portraying a fictional character in his videos and that his lyrics were meant humorously. He stated that he started creating such songs at 17 and does not genuinely intend the violence depicted. The court document, although heavily redacted, did not reveal Sullivan's rapper name or the music website. Sullivan declined a public defender, and his court date was scheduled for December 11, 2023.
He was issued a $50,000 bond and instructed to avoid social media, refrain from internet activity, and cease uploading audio or video content.
