Anna Conkey, a 31-year-old woman in San Diego, has been identified as the woman who walked into an Easter Day service with her 10-month-old baby and a gun to threaten the congregation at Mount Everest Academy. Conkey was reportedly muttering random words that were unintelligible, but the threats reportedly included bomb threats, according to ABC 7 News.
Conkey is a former journalism and creative writing major at San Diego State University and served as a digital media producer at NBC 7 San Diego. She was also in the United States Navy.
Shortly after Conkey began making the threats, head pastor Benjamin Wisan was able to distract her while others from the congregation came up from behind her, grabbed her, and neutralized the threat while obtaining her weapon and taking the child to safety.
“God divinely protected everyone and then we were able to get the gun away and the baby away and the police came and we were all good,” Wisan said, via NBC San Diego.
Wisan added that Conkey appeared to be agitated and frustrated and “not in her right mind.”
Shortly before the threats were made, Conkey had sent an email to her former employer to drop a tip about what was going to take place.
Her email read:
“There’s a woman claiming to be the Messiah, saying she was sent to blow up the foundation of the Church—she’s got a gun and a child is involved. The address is 4350 Mount Everest Blvd San Diego, CA 92117. There are about 70 people in the auditorium of the school where the church service is held”
Conkey is facing charges of making criminal threats and displaying a handgun in a threatening manner. Her 10-month-old daughter and a five-year-old daughter that was nearby have been taken to protective custody.
Police swept the area for any explosives due to Conkey’s threats, but ultimately determined there was no longer any present danger.