[AZ] Police heard ex-deputy Anton wanted to kill ex-wife and others, so protected them

...Deputies said [former Coconino County Sheriff's Deputy Mark] Anton had made death threats against family members, a former spouse, and her former boyfriend. The events continued into Saturday with death threats made against responding law enforcement officers... A report said that officers called to warn several unidentified subjects that Anton might be on his way to kill them and sent officers to protect the home... The Sheriff's office has declined to say whether Anton quit or was fired last year when he left Metro, a multi-agency anti-narcotics task force...

I'm opting to not post his mug shot.

FORMER DEPUTY PLEADS INNOCENT
azdailysun.com,
Eric Betz
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
[Excerpts] A former Coconino County Sheriff's Office deputy pleaded innocent Monday to 12 criminal charges stemming from a weekendlong pursuit and standoff in February that left officers racing to protect the man's ex-wife and her former boyfriend - a current deputy. The charges against Mark Anton, 38, of Timberline, include two counts of possession of methamphetamine paraphernalia, eight counts of aggravated harassment for domestic violence and two counts of making threats... in violation of a restraining order... Eventually, officers were dispatched to his ex-wife's house for protection. Police received a report that Anton said he was going to kill someone and then commit "suicide by cop."... Police reports said a search of Anton's house turned up 20 guns, meth paraphernalia and a bullet with the ex-wife's boyfriend's name on it... Anton was being held in protective custody because of the suicidal comments and potential threats to his safety... [Full article here]

EARLIER

FORMER DEPUTY SHERIFF ARRESTED IN FLAGSTAFF STANDOFF
KPHO
By Phil Benson
Posted: Feb 26, 2012
FLAGSTAFF, AZ (CBS5) -[Excerpts] A former deputy sheriff for the Coconino County Sheriff's Office surrendered peacefully Sunday morning following a standoff in Flagstaff. Mark Anton, 38, of Flagstaff was booked on pending charges that include threatening and intimidating. Sheriff's deputies, with help from the Flagstaff Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, responded to Anton's home... Deputies said Anton had made death threats against family members, a former spouse, and her former boyfriend. The events continued into Saturday with death threats made against responding law enforcement officers... Anton also indicated he wanted to die at the hands of law enforcement officers, sheriff's investigators said... [Full article here]

STANDOFF CHARGES MOUNT
azdailysun.com
Eric Betz
Friday, March 2, 2012
[Excerpts] A search of the home of a 38-year-old Timberline man who was arrested following a lengthy standoff with police this weekend revealed about 20 guns, methamphetamine paraphernalia and a bullet standing upright on his mantel with a name handwritten on it. New charges have now been added against Mark Anton, a former Coconino County Sheriff's Office deputy and a current EMT with Guardian Medical Transport, including six counts of aggravated harassment per domestic violence, two counts of felony possession of drug paraphernalia, and two misdemeanor counts of threatening and intimidating... The Sheriff's office has declined to say whether Anton quit or was fired last year when he left Metro, a multi-agency anti-narcotics task force. According to police and Sheriff's office reports made available Thursday, Anton was allegedly upset that he wasn't allowed to see his son often enough and in recent weeks had taken to sending his ex-wife text messages in violation of a restraining order... An anonymous person reported that Anton had called them crying and said he was going to kill someone and then kill himself. "When asked how, he stated that while en route to kill (redacted), he was going to do whatever he could to get the attention of law enforcement and once a traffic stop was initiated, he was going to exit his car with multiple weapons and begin shooting," a police report said. Anton was described as being bipolar and off his medication. A report said that officers called to warn several unidentified subjects that Anton might be on his way to kill them and sent officers to protect the home. "Having personal knowledge of Mark's feelings towards (redacted), I took these statements very seriously and knew Mark had the means to commit these acts," the report said... Anton texted several officers outside his home to say that he was prepared to protect his property and that he "better not know the first person in the stack," adding he would shoot whoever came through the door... He eventually surrendered... A search of Anton's home revealed a loaded Colt AR-15 assault rifle next to his bed as well as a loaded handgun. Each had a round in the chamber. A loaded revolver was also found in the bathroom... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal suicidal homicidal arizona state politics professionalism]