A 21-year-old man was arrested early this morning by Ocala police for allegedly making a comment on Facebook that he was going to commit a mass act of violence during the city’s annual Light Up Ocala event, which begins later today.
In the early morning hours of Saturday, November 23, Tray Jackson Quarles was arrested after he allegedly threatened to “light Ocala up” during the city’s popular tree-lighting ceremony, Light Up Ocala, which will be held downtown from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The previous day, an individual had posted the following question on Facebook: “Who all going to light up Ocala?” In response to this question, a Facebook account allegedly belonging to Quarles responded with, “Oh I will light Ocala up…Ocala has done nothing for me but put me in a lot of pain trust me it will deserve it.”
According to the Ocala Police Department, tips were received from the community regarding the threatening message, which immediately prompted an investigation. OPD stated that its investigators quickly identified Quarles as the individual who had posted the threat on social media.
Quarles was placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail shortly after 2:50 a.m. on Saturday. He is currently being held without bond, and he is facing one count of making a written threat to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism.
A court date for Quarles has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Ocala Police Department released the following statement:
“We take threats like this very seriously and our community’s safety is our top concern. Rest assured, we’ve increased our personnel for the Light Up Ocala event to ensure it remains safe and enjoyable for all participants. Thank you for your continued cooperation and vigilance. Stay safe and enjoy the festivities!”