BOCA RATON, Fla. – A Boca Raton woman was arrested Saturday after deputies said she threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a memorial service for a police dog.
Jill Hoffman, 66, faces a charge of making written threats to kill or conduct a mass shooting. Hoffman was apparently upset because she believed deputies were responsible for the dog's death, according to her arrest report.
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At a court hearing Sunday morning, a judge ordered a mental health evaluation for Hoffman.
On Christmas Eve, the dog, named Cigo, was killed during a shootout as Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies apprehended two suspects outside the Mall at Wellington Green.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw has said Cigo saved the lives of the deputies making the arrest.
Days later when deputies announced plans for a memorial service for Cigo on Facebook, a user named Michael R Reed posted the comment: "Great venue for a mass shooting. You don't have the sense you were born with," the report said.
Deputies later determined that the "Michael R Reed" account was operated by Hoffman, the report said. Her family members confirmed to deputies that Hoffman used the alias, the report said.
The comment was one of roughly 100 aggressive and eventually threatening posts by Hoffman, the report said. When deputies posted about active shooter training for the public, the Reed account commented, 'I hope all of you are the first to be shot!" according to the report.
Another -- in response to a post about deputies building a Santa's mailbox for children -- read, "How about building yourselves coffins and jumping in them. You're going to need them."
On Thursday, Cigo was honored in the same manner traditionally afforded deputies who are killed on the job. That included a police motorcade that delivered Cigo's body to the service, a 21-gun salute and an "end of watch call." Cigo also received a medal of honor.
Local authorities have stepped up efforts to monitor and prosecute people who post threatening messages on social media since the Parkland school shooting. A number of students in South Florida are facing criminal charges after threatening shootings on social media.