UPDATE AS OF 10/8/2020: Today the Westport Police Department announces two arrests made in connection with the investigation of the incident below.
Through a review of surveillance video secured in the course of a neighborhood canvas of the affected area, detectives were able to obtain footage featuring images of two suspects.
Footage was captured during the act of posting fliers on the date in question. Through further follow-up, both individuals were positively identified. Of the two suspects, one was determined to be a juvenile. That individual was charged with Breach of Peace in the Second Degree via a juvenile referral.
The second suspect was positively identified as Max Bernegger, age 18, of Westport. An arrest warrant was sought and ultimately granted for Bernegger in connection with this investigation.
On the morning of Thursday, October 8, 2020, Bernegger turned himself in at police headquarters relative to this outstanding warrant. He was charged with 53a-181 Breach of Peace in the Second Degree. Bond was court-set at $500.00. He was able to post this bond and was subsequently released. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Norwalk Superior Court on the morning of Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
* Initial Report
A report of paper fliers featuring various threatening messages posted downtown during the early morning hours of Sunday, September 27, 2020 has recently received a great deal of attention on social media and blog postings as well as from local news outlets.
The Westport Police Department understands that this incident has caused a great deal of alarm and varying levels of concern for many living within our community and with that in mind has been working diligently to identify the responsible individual(s). The investigation of this case has remained an extremely active one from the receipt of the initial report to the present time. The probe of this matter also has featured close collaboration with federal law enforcement officials based on some of the statements directly expressed in these postings.
As of this writing, the investigative efforts of the Westport Police Department Detective Bureau have yielded information on two responsible parties. With that significant development, the Department wishes to take this opportunity to assure all that there is currently no viable threat to the community relative to this incident. At the present time this investigation remains open and active, and any additional developments relative to the case will be detailed at a later date.
For more information, visit Westport Police on Facebook here.
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