Utah man fatally shot by FBI agents after alleged threats against Biden

PROVO, Utah — FBI agents on Wednesday fatally shot a Utah man accused of making threats against President Joe Biden on Wednesday, authorities said.

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The shooting occurred hours before the president was expected to land in the state on Wednesday, KSTU-TV reported. Documents filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday allege that Robertson threatened to “inflict bodily harm” on Biden during his visit to Utah in a social media message sent on or about Monday, according to the television station.

Agents were attempting to serve a warrant in Provo at the home of Craig Deleeuw Robertson, 75, at about 6:15 a.m. MDT when the shooting occurred, The Associated Press and The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal agents received a warrant for Robertson’s arrest on Tuesday, the Tribune reported. Federal prosecutors had recently charged him with threats against the president, along with interstate threats and retaliating against federal law enforcement officials, according to the newspaper.

According to the complaint, Robertson had posted to social media on Monday, “I hear Biden is coming to Utah,” the Tribune reported.

“Digging out my old GHILLE suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle,” the post continued. “Welcom, buffoon-in-chief!”

FBI agents had been aware of Robertson since at least March 19, according to the newspaper. At the time, the agency’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip from an unnamed social media company that a person with the username “@winston4eagles” had posted a threat to kill New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

At the time, Bragg was overseeing a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump, the complaint states.

“I’ll be waiting in the courthouse parking garage with my suppressed Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm to smoke a radical fool prosecutor that should never have been elected,” the post read, according to the complaint.

At that point, FBI agents began to watch Robertson’s home in Provo, the Tribune reported.

In a Facebook post in September 2022, Robertson allegedly wrote threats aimed at Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, according to the AP.

“The time is right for a presidential assassination or two. First Joe then Kamala!!!” Robertson allegedly posted, according to court documents.

According to the Tribune, documents indicated that Robertson knew he was being watched.

“Hey FBI, you still monitoring my social media?” one post read.

No further details were immediately released about the shooting, according to the AP. The case is being reviewed by the FBI.