In a dramatic turn of events, a 75-year-old man from Utah, USA, who had been consistently sending death threats to President Joe Biden, was fatally shot by FBI agents during a raid on his residence in Provo.
The incident occurred as authorities acted upon alerted posts made by the individual concerning the U.S. president.
The man in question, identified as Craig Robertson, had posted a series of menacing messages on his Facebook accounts, some directly targeting President Biden. In one post, dated August 7, he stated, “I hear Biden is coming to Utah. Digging out my old ghillie suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle.”
Robertson’s online activity included a multitude of threats, along with pro-Trump content and photos of himself posing with an array of heavy weaponry and tactical gear.
Among these threats was a message directed at New York district attorney Alvin Bragg, whom Robertson mentioned intending to assassinate in a parking garage.
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Despite previous encounters with federal agents, including a visit prompted by a criminal complaint in March, Robertson persisted in his threats against public officials.
The warnings escalated, culminating in a post just before the FBI’s raid that suggested he was contemplating an attack on President Biden during his visit to the city.
The FBI agents executed the raid on Robertson’s home in the early hours of August 9, shortly before President Biden’s scheduled appearances in the area.
Their intent was to serve arrest and search warrants; however, the situation escalated, leading to the fatal shooting of Robertson at approximately 6:15 am.
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In response to the incident, the FBI released a statement expressing their commitment to treating all shooting incidents involving their agents seriously.
The event raises questions about the balance between online threats, free speech, and the necessary actions to ensure public safety.