A Florida man was arrested outside of Lana Del Rey’s Orlando concert on Friday night after receiving a tip that he had made threats to kidnap the singer. According to the Orlando Sentinel, police determined that Michael Shawn Hunt had made a “credible threat” to kidnap Del Rey on Facebook and faced charges of “attempted kidnapping with a weapon and aggravated stalking.”
OPD Media release on arrest of Michael Hunt, 43, who stalked, made threats against singer Lana Del Rey.
Working off a tip,OPD Officers were able to stop Hunt, who was armed with a knife, before he could get to the Amway Center. pic.twitter.com/mOsfGEwJIO
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) February 4, 2018
Police made the arrest outside of the Amway Center in Orlando, reportedly only hundreds of feet from where the singer would be performing. He never made it inside the arena, though, and was arrested with a three-inch folding knife according to the Orlando Sentinel:
Police said they received a tip from a caller who said Hunt shared “cryptic and threatening” posts on social media toward the singer, whose real name is Elizabeth Grant, the report shows. Orlando police officers said the suspect — who never made it inside the venue — was carrying a 3-inch folding knife.
Officers determined “there is a concern for public safety” and “due to the statements posted by Hunt, victim Elizabeth Grant was in fear for her safety,” an arrest report said. About 8,000 people were expected to attend, police said.
Police didn’t share the details behind Hunt’s threats, but the Sentinel and other reports analyzed a Facebook page belonging to the suspect and uncovered a series of strange and chilling posts preceding the incident on Friday:
“I want to see my queen on Friday and from that day forward our decisions will be as one,” Hunt wrote on Jan. 30.
In a separate post about Grant, Hunt said the singer “knows my face in her dreams” and “she’s my always and forever to be.” Below a photo of her, one of Hunt’s friends expressed her good wishes for the couple.
“Wow, I’m so happy for you Michael Hunt. I hope she makes you happy when you finally stalk her down and get your hands on her!” she wrote. Hunt reacted to the post with a heart.
On Wednesday afternoon, Hunt posted a rambling video on Facebook in which he talked about his plans to “get together” with Grant. “I’m going to probably finish out her tour with her, obviously, and dance and talk and figure out what we’re going to do,” he said.
Hunt has served up to five prison terms to this point, with his latest ending in January of 2014 after a nine-month incarceration for fleeing from law enforcement. His past charges include grand theft auto, grand theft with a firearm, forgery, and possession and sale of marijuana.
Hunt has served five prison terms, on charges including burglary of an occupied structure, grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft with a firearm, forgery and possession and sale of marijuana according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Hunt was most recently released from prison Jan. 29, 2014, after serving about nine months for fleeing law enforcement. The singer did not address the incident on Twitter, but did thank fans in Orlando following the show:
https://twitter.com/LanaDelRey/status/959839914744479750
(Via Orlando Sentinel / Orlando Police)
