FBI Shoots and Kills Utah Man Accused of Threats Against President Biden

A Utah man suspected of making threats against President Joe Biden was shot and killed by FBI agents in Provo, Utah, just hours before the president’s scheduled visit to the state. The FBI had obtained a warrant to search the residence of Craig Deleeuw Robertson, located in the southern part of Salt Lake City, when the incident occurred at 6:15 a.m., according to an official statement from the agency.

Robertson had allegedly posted online threats earlier in the week, claiming that he intended to prepare a camouflage suit and clean a high-powered sniper rifle in anticipation of Biden’s arrival in Utah. In subsequent social media posts, the suspect identified himself as a “MAGA Trumper,” implying his allegiance to former President Donald Trump and his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” Court documents revealed that Robertson possessed multiple firearms, including the mentioned sniper rifle, and owned a set of camouflage gear known as a “ghillie suit.”

Charges were filed against Robertson on Tuesday, under seal, for three felony counts, which included making threats against the president. Court records also revealed that he made additional threats against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. One Facebook post, dated September 2022 and included in the filings, referenced the need for “a presidential assassination or two,” mentioning both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

No attorney has been listed for Robertson in the court documents, and further details about the shooting incident are still under review by the FBI. President Biden, who was on a trip to the Western United States, spent Wednesday in New Mexico, where he visited a wind tower factory and is scheduled to fly to Utah later in the day. On Thursday, the president is expected to visit a Veterans Affairs hospital to discuss the expanded veterans benefits mandated under the PACT Act, as well as attend a reelection fundraiser.