FBI shoots and kills Provo man accused of threatening President Biden’s life
Aug 9, 2023, 11:00 AM | Updated: Aug 14, 2023, 4:39 pm
PROVO, Utah — A man was shot and killed by FBI agents in Provo Wednesday morning after FBI agents approached his house to serve warrants.
Previously the man had made threats toward President Joe Biden and others on social media. The warrants were served hours before Biden landed in Salt Lake City.
An FBI spokeswoman said the shooting occurred in the area of 500 North and 1200 West while the FBI was serving a warrant.
“The incident began when special agents attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at a residence. The subject is deceased. The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously.”
According to court documents obtained by KSL TV, the suspect, Craig Deleeuw Robertson, made Facebook posts threatening the life of President Biden, who is arriving in Utah on Wednesday.
“I hear Biden is coming to Utah. Digging out my old ghillie suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle. Welcome, buffoon-in-chief!” read one of Robertson’s Facebook posts referenced in court documents.
Associated Press reported that two law enforcement sources said Robertson was armed at the time of the shooting. Neighbors said they remembers him from church and the neighborhood, but weren’t previously aware of his social media posts. A White House official told AP Biden was briefed after the raid.
“It’s almost like he wants a confrontation with the FBI,” Karl Schmae, a retired FBI supervisory special agent said.
Schmae reviewed the arrest warrant and several of Robertson’s online posts.
“He’s calling himself a MAGA Trumper, ‘come after me,’ but the reason the FBI investigated him is because he was making threats or violations of federal law,” Schmae said, “not because of his political beliefs.”
Schmae said agents focus on behavior, intent, and whether someone has the means to act on their words. “This is what kept me up at night when I was a supervisor, is we’re looking for that, that needle in the haystack,” he said. “Who’s a keyboard commando, and who’s the guy that is actually going to pick up his gun, go out and commit violence.”
One of the Facebook posts that Robertson made against President Biden. (Court documents)
According to court documents, Robertson also threatened other government officials, like Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“I want to stand over Bragg and put a nice hole in his forehead with my 9mm and watch him twitch as a drop of blood oozes from the hole as his life ebbs away to hell!!” the court document recorded.
A social media post made by Robertson suggesting harm against a New York attorney. (Court documents)
According to court documents, FBI agents visited Robertson in March about his social media posts threatening Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. During the encounter, FBI agents said Robertson refused to corporate with them, stating, “I said it was a dream!” and “We’re done here! Don’t return without a warrant!”
According to court documents, Robertson mentioned the visit of the FBI agents to his home on a Facebook post, saying the agents were close to a “violent eradication.”
A screenshot of a Facebook post that Robertson made a few days later about the FBI visit. (Court document)
According to court documents, Robertson was charged with interstate threats, retaliating against federal law enforcement officers by Threat and threats against the president.
