UPDATE: FHFA exec arrested for threatening to shoot Ed DeMarco

The chief operating officer of the FHFA has been charged with a felony after allegedly threatening to shoot former Acting Director Edward DeMarco

Updated with new information May 7 at 8:37 a.m.

The chief operating officer of the Federal Housing Finance Agency has been arrested and charged with threatening the agency’s former acting director.

FHFA COO Richard Hornsby was charged with one felony count of threatening to kidnap or injure a person after allegedly threatening to shoot Edward DeMarco last week, according to a HousingWire report.  Hornsby was also  issued a “do not assault, harass or stalk” order.

Hornsby allegedly threatened to shoot DeMarco after making “increasing threatening comments” over the course of a few weeks, according to police reports. The FHFA’s inspector general was notified of the threats following an April 28 incident in which DeMarco was “escorted to a secure location following a report of a threat,” court documents allege. An unnamed FHFA employee allegedly said that Hornsby had threatened to harm DeMarco and then kill himself.

The threat occurred two days before DeMarco's retirement from the agency, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The unnamed FHFA employee said the threats against DeMarco stemmed from disagreements about Hornsby's job performance ratings.

Hornsby was released without being required to post bond. He was ordered to stay away from the FHFA’s Washington offices, according to HousingWire. He has a follow-up hearing scheduled for May 14.

Hornsby joined the FHFA in 2011 after 26 years at the Federal Bank of San Francisco. His duties are currently being performed by former Treasury official Eric Stein, according to the Journal.