Coral Springs Man Arrested After Threatening to ‘Shoot the Whole Family’
A man was arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot up his family after his girlfriend received a text message he believed was proof of infidelity.
On the afternoon of Thursday, May 21, Coral Springs Police responded to call at a residence located at the 5000 block of NW 59th Way.
An investigation led to the eventual arrest of Austin Hophan, 27, on charges of domestic violence and aggravated assault with a firearm.
According to multiple victims on the scene, Hophan grew upset after finding a text on his girlfriend’s phone, and as the two argued, Hophan eventually struck his girlfriend in the left thigh and left elbow according to the police report.
From there, matters escalated to the point that Hophan drew a firearm — reportedly a .22 caliber long rifle — and began waving it around in the hallway where family members were located.
Hophan pointed the firearm at multiple victims throughout the assault, at one point making the statement that “if anyone called the cops, he would shoot the whole family.”
Hophan also indicated during the episode that he was going to find the man that was texting his girlfriend and kill him.
When police arrived, they found the firearm — which family members claim Hophan prepared to fire during his threat — however, it did not appear to have a bullet in the barrel but did have a clip loaded with ten rounds of ammunition.
One of the family members present during the assault and named in the report as a victim declined to press charges.
The police report indicates Hophan was placed under arrest without incident, processed at the Coral Springs Police Department, and was later booked into the BSO main jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and battery.