1 Arrested Following Threat to Wyoming County Health Officer

The Hot Springs County Sheriff's Office says a man threatened the county health officer there shortly after the county implemented a mask mandate.

According to a statement on social media, sheriff's deputies arrested the unnamed man after he threatened Hot Springs County Public Health Officer Vernon Miller.

In the statement, Hot Springs County Sheriff Jerimie Kraushaar said he is aware that the mask mandate is "polarizing" and some people feel it is an overreach, while others don't think it goes far enough.

"With that in mind, we all still need to remember that we are a close-knit community of friends and neighbors," Kraushaar wrote. "Even though we may have differing opinions, we still need to treat each other with civility and not allow our emotions to cause us to treat each other poorly."

The sheriff added that any acts or threats of violence will not be tolerated by the sheriff's office.