PHOENIX — A Chandler man who threatened to kill Gov. Katie Hobbs and hurt children at a local elementary school with his vehicle was booked on a felony count of making a terrorist threat, according to court records.
Daniel Lamb, 40, was booked on Sept. 19 in a Maricopa County jail after Chandler police investigated multiple reports of threatening communications, including an alleged threat to attack a school "using his vehicle," police spokesperson Marysol Green said.
Court documents say Lamb threatened to stab Hobbs and her family to death on Thanksgiving.
Another message attributed to Lamb described children playing behind a flimsy barrier at BASIS Chandler Primary North, according to the documents.
Gov. Katie Hobbs' office did not immediately respond for a comment.
Details in court documents
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Lamb told his mother and someone at Pepperdine University in California that he would use a vehicle to run over children, documents said.
Lamb noted a "flimsy fence" at the school and wrote that the only thing stopping him from killing children was that he was a good man, according to documents.
Investigators also described a screenshot of a Sept. 18 email attributed to Lamb and posted on Instagram. In that message, he threatened to use his car to kill people the following week if police did not arrest him over the weekend, according to court documents.
Daniel Lamb, 40, was booked on Sept. 19 for making threats against Gov. Katie Hobbs and planning a school attack, police say.
A separate email said he would run over the first group of people he could find if police tried to stop him, documents said.
Court documents also quoted an earlier message in which Lamb described planning an attack as insincere and wrote that he had “no intent to pursue” it.
Detectives wrote that multiple people received concerning messages attributed to Lamb. Emails provided to law enforcement listed Lamb as the sender and included his name and phone number, according to court documents.
On Sept. 19, detectives obtained cellphone location data placing Lamb’s phone near where his vehicle was found in Chandler. An undercover detective then identified Lamb at the door of the home, documents said.
Judge calls charges 'serious'
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge William Peterson ordered Lamb to be held with a $100,000 secured appearance bond.
He said it was lower than what the Maricopa County Attorney's Office requested. Prosecutors asked for $250,000 because of no past criminal history, Peterson said.
Lamb questioned the amount, to which Peterson responded, saying, "These are very serious charges."
Court records show he is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 25.
School responds after threats
A spokesperson for BASIS Charter Schools provided the following statement on Sept. 22:
“On Monday, Sept. 21, BASIS Chandler Primary North became aware that the school was referenced in arrest records connected to an individual, unaffiliated with the school or BASIS Charter Schools, who was arrested over the weekend in connection with multiple alleged threats. While any situation involving threats is deeply concerning, we remain in contact with law enforcement and understand that the individual is currently in custody. Additionally, there is no known connection between the individual and the campus. Upon becoming aware of the matter this afternoon, BASIS Chandler Primary North promptly notified families and staff.
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We are grateful for the actions of the Chandler Police Department and for their ongoing communication with the school. We will continue to keep our community informed should we receive any additional information that impacts the school.”
