Niceville police investigation leads to bomb threat arrest in Walton County

NICEVILLE, Fla. — The Niceville Police Department initiated an investigation that led to the arrest of a 38-year-old man in connection with a bomb threat and multiple other charges following a reported standoff with law enforcement.

Michael Stephen Boone, of Walton County, is said to have sent multiple text messages threatening to kill a Niceville citizen and claiming that an explosive device had been planted at 1405 Beaver Run Road. The Niceville Police Department (NPD) quickly began investigating, with support from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, FBI, and ATF, all of which confirmed that no explosives were found at the location.

The NPD’s Criminal Investigations Division identified Mr Boone as the suspect and secured an arrest warrant for aggravated stalking, electronic threats to kill or do bodily harm, making threats against law enforcement, and filing a false report about planting an explosive device.

On October 1, deputies from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve the arrest warrant at Boone’s residence in Walton County. Mr Boone reportedly barricaded himself inside, made threats to shoot law enforcement officers, and set a fire before attempting to flee.

He was quickly apprehended and transported to the Walton County Jail, facing additional charges, including arson, battery on a law enforcement officer, and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities, including the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, ATF, and Okaloosa County EMS, assisted in the operation.

Anyone with information relevant to this case is asked to contact Investigator Carlos Poveda at (850) 279-6436 ext. 1208.