Shannon Depararra Atkins, a 46-year-old man residing in West Palm Beach, Florida, was arrested this Friday, the 24th, accused of making online threats against President Donald Trump.
According to authorities, the FBI received an alert on January 20 warning about violent posts made by Atkins on his social media, which triggered an investigation that culminated in his arrest.
The posts, shared by social media users and presented as evidence, included alarming phrases such as: “The United States needs a good bullet to save itself” and “I hope and pray that someone kills him.”
Although the authorities did not provide the full details of the threats or the actions that Atkins might have planned, they confirmed that there was no indication that he had attempted to approach Trump's Mar-a-Lago complex, located just a few miles from his home in Palm Beach.
Atkins was arrested following a traffic stop at 7:30 p.m. on Friday near his residence.
During the operation, he was driving a BMW and was found in possession of cocaine, which led to an additional charge for drugs.
The man is currently being held without bail at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Main Detention Center.
According to the police report, hefaces second-degree charges for making written or electronic threats with the intent to kill, cause bodily harm, carry out a mass shooting, or commit an act of terrorism.
The FBI and the West Palm Beach police have treated the case with utmost seriousness due to the nature of the threats and Atkins' proximity to Trump's residence.
The authorities also notified the Secret Service, which will assess whether federal charges should be filed. So far, the public defender's office representing Atkins has not commented on the case.
In this case, the role of the FBI was crucial, as the initial alert came from a citizen in Okeechobee, Florida, who reported Atkins' posts to the agency's threat center.
The investigation progressed quickly, allowing for the suspect to be located within a few days. During his detention, Atkins admitted to making the posts, but the specific details of his confession have not been disclosed by the authorities.
Security around Trump has been especially reinforced following previous incidents that have put him at risk.
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