What Led Up to the “Sheriff’s Office Shooter” Incident
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – As of press time, The Messenger’s online post about the Saturday, March 15 shooting incident at Houston County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in Crockett has reached more than 350,000 views, with the story hitting regional and national news.
The incredible chain of events leading to suspect Clifford Robert Heniser’s appearance at the sheriff’s office sparked immediate interest in both his criminal past and his online postings leading up to his shooting a rifle 30 times in the air in the parking lot of the sheriff’s office.
One of the charges Heniser faces is that of a felon in possession of a firearm, regardless of the shooting itself. Crockett Police Department (CPD) is investigating the case and noted Heniser’s past in their arrest report.
“Upon reviewing Heniser’s criminal history, it showed a final pleading of guilty out of the 349” Judicial District Court, Houston County, for the charge of Theft of Property State Jail Felony and showed that he was given five years of probation in 06/06/2011,” the report noted. “Additionally, it showed that he had his probation revocation and served 12 months confinement in TDCJ/ State Jail starting in 03/21/2013.”
As both law enforcement and residents tried to understand the man behind the allegations, Heniser’s Facebook® page offered a wealth of information into the man determined to “enforce Trump’s immigration and deportation orders.”
Much of Heniser’s profile is harmless enough – the Trinity native posted about his business, Heniser-Moro Construction, LLC, offering outdoor work, tree cutting and firewood. Several months passed before Heniser began posting again, with a large number of posts, almost every few minutes, the day before he would appear with his rifle outside HCSO.
Heniser responded in one of his posts Friday, March 14 to a post from Houston County Sheriff Zak Benge, who mentioned someone had been arrested after confronting deputies and refusing to leave two days earlier.
“This was about me everyone that knows me know I’m respectful until disrespected so stand on all 10 or kneel I will never kneel to no man not even God himself for i stand beside him with his light protection in these dark times,” Heniser posted. “so f—- the police and any government agencies that would stand on an American Patriot rights a civil libertys the time is now america.”
It is still unknown if Heniser suffers from mental issues or some other addiction, as his posts heated up the day before he took those shots in Crockett. The Messenger has learned Heniser is from the Trinity area, although sources say he now lives somewhere near Lovelady.
“This isn’t about money or anything I’m so broke right now I can’t afford to put food on the table but God has given me a calling and I would be a fool not to answer it amen amen amen,” Heniser wrote the same day.
His posts were not only political, but showed a growing emotional response, although it is not clear if it was anger, or some mental impairment. He promised his old home town of Trinity trouble, too, writing, “Trinity texas you are next you better get right with your lord because hell’s coming and I’m driving.”
Heniser hinted of more specific plans and timing for those plans, writing in one post decorated with large letters on a colorful background, “Due to personal reasons I’ll be turning things up a f— notch today.”
He would later hint at his plans to return to Crockett the next morning, although it is unclear if he planned to go to CPD, or just referred to CPD instead of HSCO.
“If you would like to be a us federal Marshall be at crockett police department 7am in the morning it pays 500/day treason is death,” another ominous post read.
It is unclear if Heniser was trying to recruit others to his “cause” or what further plans he may have had.
Other sources have provided The Messenger with a possible previous criminal conviction in the state of Florida, although details could not be confirmed by press time.
Benge had earlier released a statement regarding Heniser’s first visit to HCSO earlier in the week. Although he did not mention Heniser by name, it was clear Benge wanted to send a message that such outbreaks would not be tolerated.
“I would like to address an issue we just had at the office. A male suspect from Trinity came into our lobby and was very rude towards Liliana, one of our administrative assistants. As Liliana tried to work through this man’s issues our dispatch supervisor, J.D. Pruitt spoke with the man as well,” Benge stated. “As the conversation progressed the male suspect became increasingly agitated and used profanity towards Pruitt. Chief Deputy Ryan Martin accessed the lobby to ascertain this man’s complaint. The suspect immediately became verbally aggressive and used profanity to find out what we are doing about all the ‘illegals.’ Martin tried to answer his questions but could not get past the profanity being used in a public place The male suspect was arrested for disorderly conduct and is now in the Houston County Jail. We are here to listen to your complaints and do what we legally can to help our citizens. We understand that people can be agitated and/or upset at times but using vulgar language in our office and directed at our employees is not the best way to ask for help. Our employees are NOT doormats and shouldn’t be treated as such. We will always treat members of the public with respect and courtesy, and we ask that our employees receive the same.”
To read more about the shooting incident itself and the fallout from it, please see related articles in today’s edition.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
