Who was Craig Robertson? Man shot dead by FBI after death threats against Joe Biden ahead of Salt Lake City visit
PROVO, UTAH: A deadly encounter with the FBI culminated in the shooting death of 75-year-old Craig Robertson at his Provo residence situated an hour away from Salt Lake City.
The fatal raid followed years of Robertson posting chilling death threats on social media, targeting political figures including President Joe Biden.
Agents confronted Robertson on his doorstep after monitoring his posts, which included explicit threats against the president. The Facebook page, believed to be his, harbored aggressive content discussing the violent murder of the commander-in-chief.
Who was Craig Robertson?
Robertson ran a personalized woodworking enterprise, failing to renew his license after it lapsed the previous year, according to state records.
On his LinkedIn profile, he highlighted a 45-year career as a structural steel and welding inspector before embarking on his entrepreneurial venture, focusing on 'custom designs.'
Moreover, Robertson's page, which also featured pro-Trump comments, contained additional threats aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
Moreover, he shared images of an extensive collection of firearms, including sniper rifles and AR-15-style guns, stored in his residence.
The FBI executed the raid in the early morning hours just before President Biden's scheduled appearances and speeches in the city on Wednesday, August 9.
Attempting to serve arrest and search warrants, agents found themselves in a confrontation that resulted in Robertson's death around 6:15 am.
Furthermore, the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into credible threats against President Biden and other political figures in prior weeks. Court documents revealed Robertson's self-proclaimed affiliation as a 'MAGA TRUMPER' and his intent to physically harm Biden during his Utah visit.
'I hear Biden is coming to Utah!'
Facing charges related to interstate threats, threats against the president, and obstructing and retaliating against federal law enforcement officers, Robertson's social media presence was rife with disturbing messages and images glorifying violence.
Robertson allegedly wrote on August 7, "I hear Biden is coming to Utah. Digging out my hold Ghillie suit and cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle," reported Daily Mail. "Welcome Baffoon in Chief!,' he concluded the post, which was written in bold black letters on a pink and purple swirly background."
In another post, Robertson said, "Hey FBI, you still monitoring my social media? Checking so I can be sure to have a loaded gun handy in case you drop by again."
Robertson's online activities had drawn the attention of law enforcement agencies for several months, with investigations initiated in April and the US Secret Services becoming aware in June.
The FBI's statement acknowledged, "The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI's Inspection Division. As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide."