Particular brokers had been making an attempt to serve a warrant on the house of Craig Deleeuw Robertson in Provo, south of Salt Lake Metropolis, when the taking pictures occurred at 6:15 a.m., the FBI stated in a press release.
Robertson was armed on the time of the taking pictures, in line with two regulation enforcement sources who spoke to The Related Press on the situation of anonymity to debate particulars of an ongoing investigation.
Robertson posted on-line Monday that he had heard Biden was coming to Utah and he was planning to dig out a camouflage swimsuit and start “cleansing the mud off the M24 sniper rifle,” a submit that got here after months of graphic on-line threats in opposition to a number of public figures, in line with court docket paperwork. Robertson referred to himself as a “MAGA Trumper,” a reference to former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Nice Once more” slogan, and likewise posted threats in opposition to prime regulation enforcement officers overseeing court docket instances in opposition to Trump.
Neighbors described Robertson as a frail, aged man — his on-line profile put his age as 74 — who walked with the help of a hand-carved stick. Although he repeatedly carried weapons, they stated he did not appear a menace.
“There’s no method that he was driving from right here to Salt Lake Metropolis, establishing a rifle and taking a shot on the president — 100% no method,” stated neighbor Andrew Maunder exterior the church throughout from Robertson’s avenue.
Biden flew to Utah Wednesday forward of a go to to a Veterans Affairs hospital in Salt Lake Metropolis Thursday to speak in regards to the PACT Act, which expanded veterans advantages. He additionally deliberate to carry a reelection fundraiser. A White Home official who requested anonymity to debate the matter stated Biden was briefed after the raid.
Robertson’s posts indicated he did seem to personal a long-range sniper rifle and quite a few different weapons, in addition to camouflage gear often known as a “ghillie swimsuit,” investigators stated in court docket information. Robertson was charged underneath seal Tuesday with three felony counts, together with making threats in opposition to the president and in opposition to FBI brokers investigating him, court docket paperwork present.
Robertson additionally referenced a “presidential assassination” and likewise posted threats in opposition to Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, US Legal professional Basic Merrick Garland and New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James, authorities stated.
“The time is true for a presidential assassination or two. First Joe then Kamala!!!” authorities say Robertson wrote in a September 2022 Fb submit included within the filings. No legal professional was instantly listed for Robertson in court docket paperwork and relations of Robertson couldn’t be instantly reached for remark by publicly accessible telephone numbers.
The FBI investigation started with a tip in regards to the Bragg menace from Trump’s personal social media platform Reality Social in March, after Robertson posted about “ready within the courthouse parking storage” with a suppressed weapon and eager to “put a pleasant gap in his brow.” His account has since been suspended from the platform.
No additional particulars had been instantly launched in regards to the taking pictures, which is underneath assessment by the FBI.
On the Provo home the place the confrontation apparently happened and which is related with Robertson by public information, regulation enforcement could possibly be seen Wednesday going out and in and eradicating objects.
A damaged window could possibly be seen subsequent to the door and the blinds inside had been askew.
The highway resulting in the home was blocked by police. It’s simply up the road from a gathering home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with the Wasatch Mountains rising within the background. Neighbors stated authorities confirmed up round Robertson’s home early Wednesday they usually heard a increase and attainable gunshots.
Travis Lee Clark, who’s identified Robertson for years from working at their church ward collectively, described Robertson as “frail of well being,” a masterful woodworker and an “established icon” of their group. Robertson propped himself on a wooden strolling stick he’d carved himself, stated Clark, who was stunned he was thought of a critical menace.
“He was a boomer, and he was very political and typically made off-color jokes … however nothing that indicated it was a menace,” stated Clark, who added that he hadn’t seen Robertson’s Fb posts till after his dying.
Clark stated Robertson had a group of maybe 20 weapons, although he famous that that wasn’t uncommon for the world.
Paul Searing, a businessman who lived in Provo earlier than relocating to close by Orem, stated he had adopted Robertson on-line for years and even warned him when he believed the opposite man was crossing a line in his posts.
“He believed in his proper to bear arms. He believed in his proper to say what he feels. When it got here right down to it, he knew the Lord wouldn’t have authorized of killing harmless folks,” Searing stated. “Issues obtained out of hand as a result of he simply was actually annoyed.”
In line with court docket paperwork, two FBI Brokers got here to Robertson’s home after the preliminary warning about him from Reality Social in March. They discovered Robertson carrying a Trump cap and what one described in a search warrant affidavit as an “AR-15 model rifle lapel pin.”
In line with the affidavit, he instructed them his preliminary menace was simply “a dream” and demanded they solely return with a warrant. In a Fb submit days later cited within the affidavit, he stated: “To my pals within the Federal Bureau of Idiots: I do know you are studying this and you don’t have any concept how shut your brokers got here to ‘violent eradication.’”
In one other undated social media submit cited within the doc, Robertson wrote: “Hey FBI, you continue to monitoring my social media? Checking so I can have a loaded gun useful in case you drop by once more.” A submit from July 21 submit unearthed by SITE Intelligence Group, which screens on-line extremism, reads: “If I actually instructed you what I’d love to do to Joe Biden Fb would censor me and the FBI would pay me one other go to.”
Rita Katz, SITE’s co-founder, stated the social media posts attributed to Robertson present the challenges for regulation enforcement officers who should resolve when speech rises to the extent of an precise menace.
“As a result of you’ve the liberty of speech, it may be very tough to inform what’s allowed and what’s not allowed,” she stated.
Robertson had a customized woodworking enterprise however didn’t renew his license after it expired final yr, in line with state information. On LinkedIn, Robertson stated he labored for 45 years as a structural metal and welding inspector earlier than retiring and beginning his enterprise, saying he specialised in “customized designs.”
State court docket information confirmed Robertson pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct cost in 1998 however no particulars in regards to the allegations had been instantly accessible.
Biden, in the meantime, is in the course of a visit to the Western United States, and flew to Salt Lake Metropolis after spending Wednesday in New Mexico, the place he spoke at a manufacturing facility that can produce wind towers.
