An 18-year-old from Delaware County, Indiana, has been arrested after allegedly threatening to kill a pregnant woman—and her unborn child—during an Instagram Live video. The shocking threats, police say, were part of an ongoing feud between the woman and Manning’s friend, who is the father of the baby.
Peyton A. Manning, who had just turned 18 a day before his arrest, was taken into custody on Thursday morning. According to authorities, he went live on Instagram and told the 12-weeks-pregnant woman that he would kill her, even adding, “I’ll kill that baby too,” while holding a gun up to his face.
Police reports show that Manning initially denied making any threats when officers confronted him at a local Quality Inn. However, when questioned further, he asked officers why they expected him to stay silent after he had been threatened himself. At one point, he even asked an officer, “Do you really think I would kill a child?” The officer responded by saying that, based on what was said in the video, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to believe he was capable of doing so.
Eventually, Manning admitted to making the threats but insisted he never actually planned to harm anyone. Still, authorities took his words seriously. The argument leading up to the threats was reportedly between the pregnant woman and Manning’s friend, the father of her baby. It’s unclear what exactly sparked the feud, but Manning’s violent outburst was apparently in defense of his friend.
Police arrested Manning early Thursday and charged him with forcible felony intimidation. He was later released on a $5,000 bond and is now waiting for his first court appearance.
