Man claiming to be ‘Angel of Death’ threatened California Catholic church

A man who claimed to be the “Angel of Death” and threatened to “do the Lord’s reaping” at a Catholic monastery in California has been ordered held without bail after investigators found him carrying high-capacity magazines, brass knuckles, a sword, and other tactical gear, prosecutors said.

Joshua Michael Richardson, 38, of Jemison, Alabama, allegedly emailed St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon on August 19, calling himself the “rider of the pale horse” from the Book of Revelation and warning that he was traveling to the church, according to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

In his email, he claimed to be Michael the Angel of Death and said he chose the monastery because it is one of the few churches in the country that still marks the Feast of St. Michael, a traditional celebration honoring the archangel.

Richardson attended services at the abbey on Tuesday, August 26, and reportedly told a priest he had come to do “the Lord’s work,” “to separate the weak from the weeds,” and that he had ridden his pale horse from Alabama.

Richardson was arrested in Santa Monica last Thursday, and investigators recovered six high-capacity magazines, brass knuckles, a sword, knives, body armor, duct tape, rope, walkie-talkies, and other tactical gear from his truck. No guns or ammunition were found.

He has been charged with one felony count of making criminal threats, one felony count of possessing brass knuckles, one felony count of possessing a dirk or dagger, and one misdemeanor count of possessing a large-capacity magazine.

He is being held without bail, which prosecutors said was necessary “based on the serious danger he poses to the public.”

The suspect was arrested one day after a mass shooting at a Catholic elementary school in Minneapolis left two children dead and 21 others wounded.