John Amos' son K.C. arrested after alleged threat to sister

John Amos’ son, K.C. Amos, arrested after allegedly threatening to kill his sister

John Amos, left, and son K.C. Amos pose together on a red carpet in black formal attire

July 19, 2023 5:10 PM PT

John Amos’ son, Kelly “K.C.” Amos, was recently arrested on suspicion of making “terroristic threats” against his sister, Shannon Amos, amid the siblings’ public dispute over their father.

K.C. Amos was arrested in New Jersey and booked at Essex County Jail on Sunday, according to the Essex County Department of Corrections. Shannon Amos reported that her brother had threatened to kill her and raised concerns about “the immediacy of the threat and the likelihood that it would be carried out,” per a complaint obtained by People.

K.C. and Shannon Amos are the children of Noel J. Mickelson and John Amos, the veteran TV actor who starred in seminal series such as “Good Times” and miniseries including “Roots.”

Shannon Amos has accused K.C. Amos of threatening her by sending her a video of himself firing a handgun and texting her messages such as, “gonna sleep much better tonight big sis.” He also allegedly sent her a photo of a rifle, which he captioned, “that big one can clean a turkey out from 3 football fields away,” People reported.

“My family and I continue to advocate and fight for the proper care of my father,” Shannon Amos said Wednesday in a statement provided to The Times.

“I am pleased that Kelly is being held accountable for his actions which have put my father’s health at risk, and look forward to resolving this matter in private with the proper authorities. Despite false accusations and defamatory statements being made against me, I remain committed to ensuring that he receives the best medical care.”

A spokesperson for Shannon Amos pushed back against the notion of a “sibling rivalry” at play, insisting that “the family and Shannon are all working together to get John the care he needs.”

K.C. Amos did not immediately respond Wednesday to The Times’ request for comment. The West Orange, N.J., Police Department and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office also did not respond to inquiries from The Times.

Shannon Amos told police that K.C. Amos has bipolar disorder and was allegedly retaliating against her because he believed she had hired someone to kill him, People reported. She claimed that her brother’s messages made her “fear for her life.”

Last month, a spokesperson for Shannon Amos told The Times that her client had filed a cease-and-desist against K.C. Amos “to demand that he stop making false statements on public platforms which have caused defamation to her reputation and harm to her business.”

Shannon Amos took legal action against her brother weeks after she claimed on Instagram that their father was a victim of “elder abuse” and “financial exploitation.” She set up a GoFundMe campaign for her father, which the fundraising platform later removed after both John and K.C. Amos said that the the actor had not sanctioned the campaign.

Shannon Amos stated at the time that her father was in the hospital and that his life was “hanging by a thread” — a claim John Amos has repeatedly denied. According to John Amos’ longtime publicist, the actor was hospitalized but was recovering well after doctors successfully drained some fluid from his lower body.

On June 15, K.C. Amos posted a TikTok video of John Amos in his hospital bed, telling someone on the phone that he is “very capable” and felt “confident” about the healthcare he was receiving.

“Prior to entering the hospital, I had some ongoing issues with my daughter — who I feel has taken advantage of me,” the actor says in the clip. “She’s the one that I would attribute my elderly abuse to.”

However, a rep for Shannon Amos said on Wednesday that John Amos told Shannon Amos’ daughter that he “did not recall any of the statements he previously made regarding the issue.”

Less than two weeks after the TikTok video was posted, a rep for Shannon Amos told The Times that K.C. Amos had been relieved of his medical power of attorney for their father and no longer had the authority to make medical decisions for him.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed to The Times that they were looking into an allegation indicating that John Amos, who lives in Colorado, “could be a victim of a crime,” but noted that there is no specific charge in the state for “elder abuse.”

Times news researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.