An Arizona man, Manuel Tamayo-Torres, has been apprehended by federal agents following a series of violent threats aimed at President-elect Donald Trump and his family, as per multiple media reports.
The threats, which included death, were allegedly made by Tamayo-Torres in a series of online videos that caught the attention of authorities. The videos reportedly featured the man making disjointed and profanity-laden threats while brandishing an AR 15-style rifle and other weapons.
According to Raw Story, Tamayo-Torres had a disturbingly close encounter with the president-elect. In August, he filmed his journey to a campaign rally held by Trump at an arena in Glendale, Arizona. The charging documents filed against him reveal this unsettling proximity. Although the documents refer to Trump only as 'Individual 1,' they indicate that Tamayo-Torres made 'vague yet direct threats' against 'the president-elect.' ABC News confirmed separately that the alleged threats by Tamayo-Torres were indeed aimed at Trump.
In one of the videos, Tamayo-Torres allegedly stated, "[Y]ou're gonna die. [Y]our son's gonna die. Your whole family is going to die. ... I'm going to put a hole in your face." These chilling threats were not the only accusations made by Tamayo-Torres. Federal authorities also report that he claimed his children had been kidnapped and sex-trafficked by 'Individual 1,' who he also alleged had abducted his daughter with the assistance of the Secret Service.
The charging documents also mention a video posted by Tamayo-Torres earlier in November, where he threatened 'Individual 1' while brandishing 'what appears to be a white AR 15-style rifle with a 30-round magazine inserted into it.' Over the past few months, he has reportedly posted videos threatening Trump 'on a near-daily basis.'
This is not the first time Trump has been the target of assassination plots. A notable incident occurred at a rally in July, where the president-elect was shot in the ear when Thomas Matthew Crooks climbed onto a nearby building and opened fire. This recent arrest underscores the ongoing threats faced by public figures and the importance of maintaining robust security measures.
Login