EAST ALTON – An East Alton man faces 11 Class X felonies after allegedly making a series of terrorist threats targeting several local businesses. Austin H. Blair, 25, of East Alton, was charged on Sept. 4, 2025 with 11 counts of making a terrorist threat, each Class X felonies. From July 28 to Aug. 27, 2025, Blair allegedly knowingly threatened to commit a terrorist act or created the impression that a terrorist act was about to be committed on 11 different occasions. Blair allegedly made a series of terrorist threats via phone calls to several local businesses, including fast food restaurants, a convenience store and a local bar. On each occasion, he either falsely reported seeing an active shooter approaching the location or threatened to commit an act of violence the location, according to charging documents. On July 28, 2025, Blair reportedly made four such terrorist threats in one day, with each incident described in charging documents as follows:
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