Douglas Martin is accused of making threats at credit union.
View full sizeA file photo of Syracuse Firefighter Douglas Martin at a house fire in 2003. Martin was charged Saturday with making a terrorist threat, a felony, police said.Syracuse, NY - Two days after a black warehouse driver in Connecticut killed nine people including himself after complaining of racial harassment at work, a Syracuse city firefighter walked into the Syracuse Fire Department Credit Union agitated and acted unusual.
Douglas Martin, who is African American, made references Tuesday's shooting rampage at a Connecticut beer distributorship during two visits to the credit union Thursday and Friday, Syracuse police Sgt. Gary Bulinski said.
Martin, 47, of 706 S. Beech St., Syracuse, was charged Saturday with making a terrorist threat, a felony. He also was arrested on two warrants, charging him with fourth-degree stalking. Details of the warrants were not immediately available.
City police said employees at the Syracuse Fire Department Credit Union, 211 Wilkinson St., were alarmed and called police after Martin's visits. Police went to Martin's house and later arrested him.
Reached late Sunday night, Martin said a clerk at the credit union misinterpreted his intentions when he brought up the Connecticut massacre. Martin said he had no intention of going on a rampage.
Fire Chief Mark McLees confirmed Martin is a city firefighter, but declined to comment on the alleged crime.
"I was told he was arrested," McLees said. "I don't have a lot of information. It's still under investigation."
Martin has been a city firefighter since 1990, records show. He's also treasurer of the Syracuse Firefighters Association, the fire department's union.
Martin was sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center jail in lieu of $15,000 cash or bond bail. He remains in jail today.