Teacher Arrested After Making Terrorist Threat at Life of Agony Show
Leslie McGourty, a teacher at Bonanza High School in Las Vegas, NV, was arrested last Wednesday, May 16th, after threatening to attack people at a Life of Agony show on Saturday, May 19th, at the Beauty Bar. McGourty had allegedly planned to kill herself as well.
Las Vegas CBS affiliate TV station 8 Las Vegas Now reports that McGourty sent several text messages indicating her plans to friends, who alerted the authorities. One message read, “Imagine knowing exactly the moment you’re going to die. Knowing exactly that your favorite song will be playing. By your favorite band. It’s just too perfect.” Another text said that she planned to “poke a lot of holes in a lot of people,” while in other texts she referenced several well-known domestic terror attacks including Stephen Paddock, who gunned down 58 people in October at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Vegas. “I have the means, motive, and brains,” one text read, adding “Vegas will lose its luster after me.”
McGourty is currently out of custody on bail. She admitted to sending the text messages but said she never intended to hurt anyone.
The Beauty Bar beefed up security at the venue in response to the incident. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that our customers are safe whether it’s the middle of the day on a Wednesday or a packed show on Saturday,” said the bar’s managing member Roxie Amoroso.
Despite initial indications that Saturday’s Life of Agony show would proceed as planned, it up being canceled, although it’s not clear whether the band, venue or authorities made that decision. In a Facebook post early on Saturday morning, the band simply stated:
“Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, the performance at The Beauty Bar in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 19th has been cancelled. Refunds will be available at the point of purchase. Thank you.”
Read more here and watch the Las Vegas CBS TV news report below.
Additional reporting: MetalSucks Podcast host Petar Spajic
