On Wednesday morning, a dangerous situation unfolded in Provo, Utah. FBI agents were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Craig Robertson, who was suspected of posting numerous threats against President Joe Biden and other officials online, when Robertson was fatally shot during the raid.
The criminal complaint said that Robertson had posted images of guns and made several threats against Biden and Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney pursuing an investigation into a hush-money payment by then-President Donald Trump. The FBI declined to give further details on the incident.
This altercation came at an especially fraught time, hours ahead of Biden’s planned visit to Utah. It serves as a chilling reminder of the risks posed by online threats, which can escalate into potentially life-threatening situations. Online users should keep in mind that their words and actions have serious repercussions and can have far-reaching consequences for themselves and for others.
The FBI has filed a complaint against Utah resident, John Robertson, for posting violent messages and photos of weapons on two of his Facebook accounts. According to the complaint, these posts were aimed at US Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Most concerning perhaps was Robertson’s Facebook post featuring a chilling threat against Mr. Bragg who is associated with Truth Social, the social networking site founded by former US President Donald Trump. The company alerted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center after they noticed the message in March.
Robertson’s posts included “Digging out my old ghillie suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle”, which references a commonly used type of camouflage and military sniper rifle. This alarming post has stirred up many emotions among citizens and police alike as the implications are serious due to its violent nature.
FBI agents reportedly paid a visit to the suspect in connection with threats made against public officials, as per multiple sources. During the conversation, which ended with the suspect declaring “we’re done here! Don’t return without a warrant”, he told agents that the post containing the threat was merely a “dream”.
Following his interaction with FBI officials, social media posts by the suspect suggested he had undertaken some sort of sniper training and included multiple additional threats against public officials. In one of his most recent posts on Tuesday, Robertson threatened President Biden specifically while referencing Utah—the state the President is due to visit tomorrow. His trip includes stops at a veterans’ hospital, followed by a fundraising event in Park City.
These threats come at a time when national security is more important than ever and officials are expecting a busy summer of political rallies and protests. With law enforcement already straining under the weight of multiple investigations and alerts, one can only hope that police will be able to take action against this individual before any violence erupts.