Twitter Apologizes for Failing to Suspend Account Linked to Alleged Mail-Bomber

The suspect has since been brought into custody.

Twitter.
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The Twitter application is seen on an iPhone in this photo illustration on December 4, 2017. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Twitter.

Twitter apologized for mishandling a report made by former Democratic aide Rochelle Ritchie, after she pointed out that a threat directed at her on the platform appeared to come from the mail-bombing suspect Cesar Sayoc, Jr. 

The apology came shortly after Ritchie tagged Twitter's official account, shared their response and connected the bombing suspect to the account that was harassing her. 

"Hey @Twitter remember when I reported the guy who was making threats towards me after my appearance on @FoxNews and you guys sent back a bs response about how you didn’t find it that serious," she wrote. "Well guess what it’s the guy who has been sending #bombs to high profile politicians!!!!"

Twitter sent back a message saying that they had made a mistake and have since suspended the account that has been linked to Sayoc.

“Please disregard our last replay as it was sent in error,” Twitter wrote. "We've investigated and suspended the account you reported as it was found to be participating in abusive behavior."

Ritchie wasn't pleased with the sudden about-face. 

"Oh, so it was an error. Just stop!" she wrote on Twitter.

The company also shared a statement about their decision not to suspend Sayoc at first, saying that they were "deeply sorry."

"We made a mistake when Rochelle Ritchie first alerted us to the threat made against her," the company wrote. "The Tweet clearly violated our rules and should have been removed. We are deeply sorry for that error."

"We are investigating what happened and will continue to work to improve how we handle concerns raised by anyone on Twitter," they added. "We want Twitter to be a place where people feel safe, and we know we have lot of work to do."

Ritchie's initial complaint came after she appeared on Fox News. The account believed to belong to Sayoc reached out to Ritchie and threatened to make her disappear in the swamps of South Florida.

"So you like to make threats. Unconquered Seminole Tribe will answer your threats. We have nice silent Air boat ride for u here on our land Everglades Swamp," they wrote. "We will see you 4 sure.Hug your loved ones real close every time you leave you home." 

Sayoc was arrested earlier this week in connection with at least 13 explosive devices mailed to prominent Democrats, left-leaning philanthropists and the offices of CNN. The devices were mailed to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, fundraiser and right-wing boogeyman George Soros, representative Maxine Waters, and former Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., among others.

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