A legal battle has emerged in Kansas City after a concert-goer charged with making a terroristic threat against NFL stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes has formally petitioned for the felony charge to be dismissed. The case centres on an alleged social media post made during a high-profile Morgan Wallen concert at Arrowhead Stadium in August 2024.
Alleged Threat and Police Investigation
Aaron Brown, who was 23 years old at the time, is accused of posting a threatening message on X, formerly known as Twitter, during the country music event. According to court documents, the post read: 'Mr. Wallen at Arrowhead with the wife. If he brings out Mahomes or Kelce I'll take the f***in' shot. F*** em.' The account responsible, 'Gooey Bag', reportedly had only 92 followers at the time.
Detectives and intelligence analysts monitoring online threats during the concert identified the concerning post. Working with the Kansas City FBI, authorities obtained account user information from X, which led them to contact Brown via a provided phone number. Brown reportedly cooperated, identifying himself and informing police of his location within Arrowhead Stadium.
Motion to Dismiss and Legal Arguments
Brown has now filed a motion seeking dismissal of the case against him. His legal team argues that the charges violate his constitutional rights to free speech and due process, claiming he did not make any genuine threats. According to the Kansas City Star, the motion contends that the post did not constitute a real danger.
Supporting this argument, Brown's girlfriend, who accompanied him to the concert, stated in the motion that he made the post while driving from Lake of the Ozarks to Kansas City. She apparently advised him against posting it, but he proceeded anyway, allegedly telling her nobody would see it. The post was deleted before detectives approached Brown.
Concert Disruption and Aftermath
The investigation caused significant disruption to the event. The Morgan Wallen concert was delayed by 40 minutes due to the threat and subsequent police activity. When questioned by officers, Brown reportedly described his actions as 'a stupid, stupid, stupid mistake.' He was charged the following day with terroristic threat in the second degree, classified as a Class E felony.
Despite the threat, the concert eventually proceeded with Kelce and Mahomes participating in Wallen's traditional 'tunnel walk' onto the stage. The singer wore a red Kansas City Chiefs jersey with the number 7, referencing controversial kicker Harrison Butker, but with Wallen's own name on the back. The NFL stars attended the event alongside Chiefs teammate Chris Jones and Mahomes's wife, Brittany.
Broader Implications and Next Steps
This case raises important questions about the boundaries between online speech and criminal threats in the digital age. The outcome could set precedents for how similar situations are handled in future, particularly concerning social media posts made during large public events.
As the legal process continues, authorities maintain that the threat was taken seriously due to the high-profile nature of the potential targets and the public safety concerns at a major stadium event. The court will now consider whether the post constituted a genuine terroristic threat or was protected speech under the First Amendment.
