Former West Virginia Water-Department Employee Arrested After Threatening Mayor and President Trump

On July 8, 2024, Christopher “Ben” Curtis, 44, was terminated from the City of Elkins Water Department. Within minutes he began shouting threats toward Mayor Jerry Marco and President Donald Trump, brandishing a pipe wrench and describing violent actions. Witnesses reported the scene, and city officials ordered an immediate lockdown of all municipal offices. Curtis was taken into custody by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 2 p.m. that day and later transferred to the Potomac Highlands Regional Jail.

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The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office released a statement confirming that the mayor and his staff classified Curtis as a “credible threat” to city employees. Deputies placed an emergency ping on his cellphone to locate him, and he was booked on a charge of threats of terrorist acts. He was ordered to post a $100,000 cash bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 14, 2024.

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Court documents indicate Curtis’s termination preceded the outburst, though the reason for his dismissal was not disclosed. According to the complaint, after being fired he shouted profanities, declared himself a “marked man,” and repeated a self-appointed mission to “cleanse the earth” of individuals he likened to President Trump. The rapid escalation forced city staff to secure the building and suspend normal operations until the suspect was secured.

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• “I was put on this earth to help cleanse the earth from people like Donald Trump,” — Christopher Curtis

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• “marked man.” — Christopher Curtis

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• “The mayor and his staff deemed the defendant to be a credible threat to the City of Elkins employees,” — Randolph County Sheriff’s Office

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Curtis has entered a not-guilty plea and will appear before a judge on July 14 for a preliminary hearing to determine whether the case will proceed to trial.

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