Utah man suspected of threatening President Joe Biden shot and killed as FBI served warrant

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah man accused of creating threats in opposition to President Joe Biden was shot and killed by FBI brokers hours earlier than the president was anticipated to land within the state Wednesday, authorities mentioned.

Special brokers have been making an attempt to serve a warrant on the house of Craig Deleeuw Robertson in Provo, south of Salt Lake City, when the capturing occurred at 6:15 a.m., the FBI mentioned in an announcement.

Robertson posted on-line Monday that he had heard Biden was coming to Utah and he was planning to dig out a camouflage go well with and “clean the dust off the m24 sniper rifle,” in line with court docket paperwork.

In one other submit, Robertson refers to himself as a “MAGA Trumper,” a reference to former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

The posts indicated he did seem to personal a long-range sniper rifle and quite a few different weapons, in addition to camouflage gear referred to as a “ghillie suit,” investigators mentioned in court docket information. Robertson was charged underneath seal Tuesday with three felony counts, together with making threats in opposition to the president, court docket paperwork present.

Robertson additionally referenced a “presidential assassination” and made different threats in opposition to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York Attorney General Letitia James, court docket paperwork state.

“The time is right for a presidential assassination or two. First Joe then Kamala!!!” authorities say Robertson wrote in a September 2022 Facebook submit included within the filings. No legal professional was instantly listed for Robertson in court docket paperwork.

No additional particulars have been instantly launched in regards to the capturing, which is underneath assessment by the FBI.

Biden is in the course of a visit to the Western United States. He spent Wednesday in New Mexico, the place he spoke at a manufacturing facility that can produce wind towers, and is scheduled to fly to Utah later within the day.

On Thursday, he’s anticipated to go to a Veterans Affairs hospital to speak in regards to the PACT Act, which expanded veterans advantages, and maintain a reelection fundraiser.

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