Just one day before Trump took office, on January 19, Florida Police Chief Tony Araujo said they received a report that someone named Shannon Atkins had threatened Trump in Facebook posts.
A tip was received on January 19, a day before Trump took office, that someone named Shannon Atkins had posted threats against Trump on Facebook, according to Police Chief Tony Araujo.
“They were violent rhetoric, political views and his opinion aimed at the president,” Police Chief Araujo said on the nature of threats in a press briefing.
On Friday evening, Atkins was taken into custody by police close to his West Palm Beach residence. According to Araujo, Atkins was discovered in possession of three cocaine packets in his pocket. The case has been reported to the US Secret Service.
According to the official announcement from the West Palm Beach police, Atkins has been charged with one count of written or electronic threats to kill, cause bodily harm, or carry out a mass shooting or act of terrorism, as well as counts of cocaine possession and second-degree felony.
A Secret Service officer stated that it was decided to take the case locally with Florida state charges given the particulars of the investigation and the threat. The agency has been collaborating with the West Palm Beach police.
Police informed that Atkins is being held at the Main Detention Center of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office. Atkins acknowledged writing the Facebook post threatening to assassinate President Trump, but he clarified that he was only kidding, according to Police Chief Arujo.
