FBI Fatally Shoots Man in Utah Who Allegedly Threatened Biden, Alvin Bragg, Others
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The FBI on Wednesday shot and killed a Utah man who allegedly made online threats to kill US President Joe Biden and New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg while serving a warrant at his Provo home, officials said.
The suspect was identified in charging documents obtained by NBC News as Craig Deleeuw Robertson.
Robertson allegedly made a threat Monday that referenced the US president's trip to Utah this week, saying he needed to prepare his camouflage and sniper rifle.
In an alleged threat to Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney whose office is prosecuting former US president Donald Trump, Robertson called him a political hack and plotted to assassinate him in a parking garage, the charging documents said.
Robertson mentioned many other politicians, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, US Attorney General Merrick Garland and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to the documents.
He had "intent to kill, at a minimum, D.A. Bragg and US President Joe Biden," according to the charging documents.
A senior administration official told NBC News that Biden was briefed on the FBI raid Wednesday morning, ahead of scheduled events in New Mexico. The White House referred all questions to the Justice Department.
Biden was scheduled to be in Utah on Wednesday evening ahead of a public event on Thursday in Salt Lake City about veterans health care.
The incident unfolded at 6:15 a.m. in Provo, Utah, when special agents attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at a residence, the FBI said.
The agency added the incident is under review by the FBI’s Inspection Division. No agents were injured.
“The Secret Service is aware of the FBI investigation involving an individual in Utah who has exhibited threats towards a protectee," the agency said in a statement. "While we always remain in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, this is an FBI-led effort and we would refer any related questions to the FBI,” the statement said.
In the felony complaint against Robertson, he is accused of interstate threats, influencing, impeding and retaliating against federal law enforcement officers by threat and threats against the president.
The FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip in March from a social media company pertaining to a user called @winston4eagles, which allegedly showed the user posting about killing Bragg.
The FBI’s operation center believed the person with that user name to be Robertson, according to the charging documents.
On March 19, the charging documents said, two special agents with the FBI conducted surveillance at Robertson’s address in Provo. He was seen “wearing a dark suit (later observed as having an AR-15 style rifle lapel pin attached), a white shirt, a red tie, and a multi-colored (possibly camouflage) hat bearing the word 'TRUMP' on the front," the charging documents said.
After attending church, the special agents confronted Robertson about the comment he allegedly made on social media, the documents said. Robertson confirmed to the agents he was winston4eagles and responded that the comment "was a dream."
He then added, according to the charging documents, “We’re done here! Don’t return without a warrant!”
The charging documents also said the FBI reviewed other comments made by Robertson on another social media platform.
Robertson owns a sniper rifle and a ghille suit, has made violent threats to murder public officials and appeared to possess multiple firearms, according to the charging documents.
Robertson’s daughter-in-law, Julie Idlewilde Robertson, told NBC News on Wednesday that “it’s a very, very difficult time for the family.”
She said authorities have spoken to her husband, and he is trying to gather more information. "He’s just trying to process right now," she said.
