Former President Donald Trump described an assassination attempt that took place at a campaign rally in his opening remarks at the Republican National Convention. The attempted assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired gunshots at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024. Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service snipers after injuring Trump and killing an attendee.
Following this incident, federal agents charged 32-year-old Shawn Monper, a resident of Butler, with making threats on YouTube to murder the president and other U.S. officials. Monper posted comments under various YouTube videos threatening to kill or injure Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. He also obtained a firearms permit in January 2024, days after Trump’s inauguration, and commented about stockpiling guns and ammunition in February.
Monper made multiple threatening comments on YouTube videos, including declaring ICE agents as ‘terrorists’ and stating that he would open fire on them if he saw them armed. He also mentioned starting a “American Revolution 2.0” and assassinating Trump himself. Monper was arrested by the FBI and Butler Township Police Department on April 9.
Attorney General Pam Bondi reassured that the Justice Department would find, arrest, and prosecute individuals making threats of assassination or mass violence to the fullest extent of the law. The attempted assassination and threats against Trump highlight the ongoing security risks faced by public officials and the measures taken to address them.
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