The raid was in connection with an investigation into alleged threats against President Joe Biden and others, according to two officials briefed on the case.

A Utah man was shot and killed during an FBI raid early Wednesday morning, the FBI confirmed to ABC News. The raid was in connection with an investigation into alleged threats against President Joe Biden and others, according to two officials briefed on the case.

One of the officials told ABC News that the investigation began in April and the U.S. Secret Service was notified by the FBI in June. In addition to threatening posts, the official said, the man under investigation suggested online he was making plans to take physical action. The threats had been deemed “credible,” the official said.

The FBI in Salt Lake City said the shooting occurred around 6:15 am. local time while special agents attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at a residence in Provo.

“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously,” the FBI said in a statement. “In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI’s Inspection Division. As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide.”

The deceased suspect was Craig Robertson, according to multiple sources and a federal complaint obtained by ABC News.

Robertson was facing three counts, according to the complaint – interstate threats, threats against the president, and influencing, impeding and retaliating against federal law enforcement officers by threat.

The complaint includes numerous social media posts believed to have been made by Robertson threatening to kill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as several officials involved in prosecuting former President Donald Trump.

The president is scheduled to visit Utah on Wednesday.

Among the posts allegedly made by Robertson was one published on Aug. 6, three days before Biden’s scheduled visit, according to the complaint. “I hear Biden is coming to Utah. Digging out my old ghillie suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle,” the post said, according to the complaint, which referred to the post as a “willful true threat to kill or cause injury to kill President Biden.”

Senior staff briefed Biden on the incident Wednesday morning, a White House official told ABC News.

    • NevermindNoMind@lemmy.world
      32·
      1 year ago

      They were serving an arrest warrant in addition to a search warrant, which means they had probable cause for an arrest and a judge signed off on this. It wasn’t just shit posting, he was making plans which for reasons we don’t yet know the feds and a judge considered credible and serious. We also don’t know why he was shot, but “summary execution” seems unlikely, especially given how the feds always walk on eggshells around right wing extremists so as not to ruby ridge their way to another oaklahoma city (see e.g. basically every standoff with the Bundys). My money is the guy was a nutcase who started shooting when the feds showed up leading to a fairly predictable result for him.

    • chakan2@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      1 year ago

      It’s ALWAYS been like that. Back in the early 90s a kid emailed the white house a threat as a joke…the FBI showed up at the school the next day.

      It’s always been a crime to threaten the president. Half of Congress gets away with it because they’re rich…but us poor bastards that are still subject to laws should expect repercussions for illegal acts.

      Threatening the government officials of the United States is a felony under federal law. Threatening the president of the United States is a felony under 18 U.S.C. § 871, punishable by up to 5 years of imprisonment, that is investigated by the United States Secret Service.

      • remotelove@lemmy.world
        7·
        1 year ago

        Half of Congress just dog whistles to their fanbase to do shit like we see in this exact post. With a couple of notable exceptions, they are generally not dumb enough to make direct threats themselves. (I think Cawthorn directly told a group of pro-Turnip supporters to make threats and such.)

      • sadreality@kbin.social
        3·
        1 year ago

        I am not disputing he allegedly broke the law. I don’t approve of the state use of force and what appears to be leftist gloating and glorifying this act of violance.

        If crime was committed, he should be prosecuted.

        There is a chance he had it coming but why would anyone trust the state or police in this case?

        Haven’t recent history of police killing proven they lie every time?

        What’s different here besides this mouth breather having idiotic politics.

        • Bobert@sh.itjust.works
          15·
          1 year ago

          Do you understand that we have to execute arrest warrants to prosecute someone? Like I don’t see what disconnect you have in this situation.

          Why is it such a a leap that a man who has made threats against someone would act violently towards law enforcement?

          Why do you think that the FBI is more likely to have killed him in cold blood executing lawful, legal warrants than the above?

        • Zalack@startrek.website
          4·
          1 year ago

          The FBI and regular police have very different standards. I definitely think this should be fully investigated like any use is force, but I have more faith that the FBI handled this appropriately than of it had been a local PD department.

    • keeb420@kbin.social
      18·
      1 year ago

      Maybe he should’ve complied with police orders. Or whatever conservatives say when a black man is killed by police for their pinky twitching.

    • StupidFatRat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      13·
      1 year ago

      I mean the dude got into a shootout with the FBI

      Idk about you but i would have to make a few really bad life decisions before i got into a shootout with the feds. Like several very bad decisions before it even got to that point lol