FBI kills Utah man in raid over online threats to Biden
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Craig Robertson was fatally shot in an FBI operation during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
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A seal reading Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation is displayed on the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building in Washington, DC, Aug. 9, 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)
A Utah man was fatally shot during an early morning FBI raid on Wednesday, confirmed by the FBI to ABC News. The raid was related to an inquiry into alleged threats against US President Joe Biden and others, as per information provided by two briefed officials.
One of these officials said as quoted by ABC News that the investigation commenced in April, with the US Secret Service alerted by the FBI in June. Alongside the menacing online posts, the investigated individual indicated intentions for physical actions, deeming the threats "credible", according to the official.
The incident took place around 6:15 am local time, with the FBI agents conducting arrest and search warrants at a residence in Provo, as stated by the FBI in Salt Lake City.
The deceased individual was identified as Craig Robertson, based on multiple sources and a federal complaint obtained by ABC News. Robertson faced three charges, including interstate threats, threats against the president, and impeding, influencing, and retaliating against federal law enforcement officers through threats.
The complaint comprised numerous social media posts, believed to be authored by Robertson, containing threats to harm President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and officials involved in prosecuting former President Donald Trump.
One of the alleged posts by Robertson, dated August 6, three days before Biden's scheduled visit, read, "I hear Biden is coming to Utah. Digging out my old ghillie suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle." The complaint described this post as a "willful true threat to kill or cause injury to President Biden."
On Wednesday morning, senior staff informed President Biden about the incident, as reported by a White House official.
A spokesperson from the US Secret Service acknowledged awareness of the FBI's investigation into an individual in Utah exhibiting threats toward a Secret Service protectee and referred inquiries to the FBI.
