A 40-year-old Missouri ex-con allegedly threatened to shoot his roofing co-workers after they complained about his poor work performance, authorities said.
David E. Downing Jr., 40, was employed at the Missouri roofing company when the workplace dispute erupted, records show.
Trouble began when fellow roofing employees complained that Downing was arriving late and not working, according to allegations.
Downing grew angry over the complaints and accused his co-workers of disrespecting him, records state.
The workplace disagreement soon escalated into alleged threats of mass violence, authorities said.
Downing allegedly showed one co-worker crime-scene photos from a Pennsylvania case where he was previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter, records state.
He also allegedly bragged about killing another person in St. Louis, authorities said.
Inside a vehicle with a colleague, the ex-con allegedly pulled out a gun equipped with a 100-round drum magazine, according to allegations.
The confrontation continued after the employees returned to the job site, records state.
Downing’s boss eventually intervened and told him to go home and not come back, records state. Instead of leaving quietly, Downing allegedly responded with threats of violence in front of 10 to 11 employees, authorities said.
He allegedly warned that if he was fired, he would return to the job and “split everyone’s taco,” according to officials.
Downing eventually left the property, records state. But the alleged threats did not end once he drove away, according to authorities.
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He later allegedly called his boss and demanded $1,000 from everyone on the crew, authorities said.
Downing allegedly threatened to shoot the workers if the money was not paid, according to allegations.
The company’s president became so concerned Downing would carry out the threat that he pulled all employees off the job site, records state. Downing was subsequently fired by text message, authorities said.
The workplace allegations follow an established homicide conviction on the worker’s criminal record, court documents show.
In 2022, Downing was sentenced to up to 12 years in prison in connection with the 2019 death of 50-year-old Derrick Potts inside a Pennsylvania hotel room, records state.
Downing had confronted Potts over an alleged rape involving Downing’s girlfriend, according to court documents.
Prosecutors initially pursued a murder charge in the fatal hotel encounter, court records show. A jury ultimately convicted Downing of involuntary manslaughter rather than murder, according to records.
Downing served time under that prison sentence, records show. He was released on parole in April 2024, authorities said.
Now the 40-year-old is back behind bars facing new criminal allegations in Missouri, records show.
Prosecutors charged Downing with first-degree terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to court documents.
Downing has not been convicted of the conduct alleged in the current case, where the Missouri charges remain allegations, court documents state.
Downing is being held on a $300,000 cash-only bond ahead of his next court appearance scheduled for September 9, records show.
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