Man Threatens To Blow Up Niceville Duplex, Starts Standoff in DeFuniak Springs – Details:

Christopher Saul
October 1, 2024
2:27 pm
Crime, DeFuniak Springs, Niceville, Walton County

In Brief:

Michael Stephen Boone was arrested after making bomb threats and threatening to kill a Niceville citizen and law enforcement officers.
Multiple agencies, including the FBI and ATF, responded to the bomb threat; Boone later barricaded himself inside his home and set it on fire before being apprehended.
Boone faces numerous charges, including arson, aggravated stalking, and threats to law enforcement, with additional charges pending.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office Deputies arrested a man with a criminal past that includes harming animals and domestic violence for bomb threats after a standoff in DeFuniak Springs.

The situation unfolded Monday, September 30, 2024, when the Niceville Police Department (NPD) responded to reports of written death threats sent via text messages to a Niceville resident.

The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Michael Stephen Boone, claimed he planted an explosive device at 1405 Beaver Run Road, a duplex in Niceville, according to a release from Niceville’s Public Information Officer Shanettra Francis.

The threat prompted a multi-agency response involving the FBI, ATF, and Bay County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad.

Following an investigation led by NPD’s Criminal Investigations Division, The agency identified boone as the person responsible for the threats. They say those threats included specific intentions to kill and harm law enforcement.

Law enforcement obtained a warrant for Boone’s arrest on charges of aggravated stalking, electronic threat to kill or do bodily harm, threats against law enforcement, and falsely reporting the planting of a bomb or weapon of mass destruction.

In the early hours of Tuesday, October 1, deputies from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve the arrest warrant at Boone’s residence. Boone, according to responding officers, barricaded himself inside and threatened to shoot law enforcement.

During the standoff, deputies say Boone set his home on fire in a desperate attempt to flee.

He was quickly apprehended and taken into custody.

Boone’s Past

This is far from Boone’s first run in with the law. In Okaloosa County, Boone was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in 2008 and Causing a cruel death or injury to an animal in 2006. He received an adjudication of guilt on both charges.

In Walton County, Boone was charged with Grand Theft Auto in 2021.

More Information

Walton County currently has Boone in lockup on charges for the initial incident as well as the standoff in the DeFuniak Springs Area.

NPD asks that if you have any additional information on this case, you bring it to the attention of Investigator Carlos Poveda at 850.279.6436 extension 1208.