After discovering his partner had been banned from Hy-Vee, a 50-year-old Newton man allegedly became hostile to the manager and then threatened to shoot everyone in the store and the manager’s family, allegedly which allegedly led to a confrontation with police officers and then placed under arrest.

According to complaints filed with the Jasper County Clerk of Court, Severn P. Rodenberg was charged with threatening terrorism, two counts of first-degree harassment and delinquency with official acts. Officers were first dispatched to Hy-Vee at 7:44 p.m. on November 10 regarding threats made over the phone.

Witnesses told police a woman had been banned from their store. When she left the store, a man called and asked why she was banned. The store manager said he was not authorized to discuss this information with him, but the man demanded to speak to a human resources representative.

When Hy-Vee refused, the man told the manager, “You don’t want me to come to the store tonight.” He then said, “I’ll come over there and shoot everyone, then I’ll go shoot and kill your family too.” » Officers spoke to Rodenberg at his home where he stated he was speaking with someone at his store.

Rodenberg said the person he was actually talking to was on his property without his permission, and he told them to get out or he was “going to shoot him and his family.” But Rodenberg also admitted he was on the phone with Hy-Vee when he said that, suggesting his comments weren’t directed at the manager.

Officers with the Newton Police Department informed Rodenberg that he was under arrest and needed to move away from a television stand. Rodenberg said no, then ran into the kitchen while police told him to stop.

Newton News has no information on what led to the woman being banned from the grocery store.