Fox 45 Suspect's Father Discusses Son's Actions
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The father of the suspect who police say went into Baltimore's Fox affiliate Thursday in a hedgehog costume and what he said was a bomb is talking to WJZ about his son's actions.
George Solis has more on his son's bizarre behavior before the bomb threat.
Ed Brizzi says two weeks ago, everything seemed normal and then his son Alex came to him about conversations with God and visions about the world ending.
Thursday, the world saw a very different image of 25-year-old Alex Brizzi. His father opened up to WJZ about his son's bizarre behavior leading up to the bomb threat scare on TV Hill.
"`I got a vision from God and Jesus. He says the world---a catastrophe is going to happen and I think the world is going to end on June the third,'" his father said.
Police say Brizzi walked into Fox 45 with a flash drive demanding his message go out to the world.
"I didn't realize he was that bad off," his father said.
In 2012, his father says Alex did cause some concern for the family.
"He tried to overdose with Aleve," he said.
A week before the bomb threat, he also had a run-in with police.
"Somebody saw him laying in the yard and called the police and the police came and woke him up and he tried to fight the police," he said.
His father says it was a lapse in judgment caused by dehydration.
In the end, there was no bomb but the damage was done.
Brizzi is still at a loss for words.
"I just don't understand. I don't think Alex is in his right mind," he said.
He says as a child, his son was bullied but recovered.
"Maybe he was a little different than run of the mill people but he seemed happy in his world," he said.
A world that also involved a lot of fantasy and dressing up. Part of that is the costume that drew so much attention.
"It was bought at a cosplay down in DC a couple of months ago," Brizzi said.
Brizzi is convinced that his son needs help but feels strongly that he didn't want to harm anyone.
"He's a really nice boy," he said.
ATF agents searched the family home in Elkridge for hours. Brizzi is in the hospital recovering after being shot by police. He is expected to survive.