Marietta Church-Shooting Threat Lands Man In Jail

MARIETTA, GA — A local man believed to have had two AK-47 rifles was in jail on Friday after police say he threatened to shoot up a Marietta church.

Ken Ogbemudia was arrested Friday at Kennestone Hospital, according to Cobb County Sheriff's Office records. According to the Marietta Police Department, officers received a report Wednesday from Temitosan Abimbola, the pastor at Redeemed Christian Church of God Heaven's Gate at 816 Pickens Industrial Dr. in Marietta.

Abimbola told them that Ogbemudia, a member of the church who is originally from Nigeria, threatened a shooting there, saying he would "kill many of the members inside." He texted the message to several members of the church, police say.

Abimbola also told police she had spoken with a woman who said she had recently bought two AK-47 rifles and 600 rounds of ammunition for Ogbemudia. Ogbemudia was later admitted to Kennestone for psychiatric evaluation, police said.

Police say that, as of Friday, they have not found any weapons belonging to Ogbemudia and do not yet know if they were truly purchased.

He was charged Thursday with felony terroristic threats and was being held Friday without bond. According to police, he also may be in the country illegally, having arrived in the United States from Nigeria in 2011. Federal immigration officials have been notified and an investigation into his immigration status has begun, police said.

The Kennesaw Police Department and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also worked on the case.

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