Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald file photo

A man who reportedly posted threatening online messages aimed at President Joe Biden and other government officials was shot and killed by FBI agents Wednesday morning in Provo.

According to Sandra Barker, public affairs specialist for the FBI’s Salt Lake City bureau, said the fatal encounter occurred at 6:15 a.m. as “special agents attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at a residence.” The home is located in a cul-de-sac near 400 North and North 1170 West.

The man is identified by the court documents as Craig Deleeuw Robertson, 75. The search and arrest warrants were approved Tuesday and were brought against Robertson for three counts of violating Title 18 of the U.S. Code, which pertains to threats made against the president.

The threats were made by Robertson through a social media account, which was subsequently banned. Postings made on another social media platform showed threats of death and harm against Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, FBI agents, all Democrats and other government officials, including those involved in former President Donald Trump’s prosecution.

Biden arrived in Salt Lake City on Wednesday afternoon. ABC News reported that “the investigation began in April and the U.S. Secret Service was notified by the FBI in June.”

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

One of Robertson’s recent posts, believed to be made around Sunday, said, “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.”

The special agent of the FBI writing the complaint and request for a warrant said about this post, “There have been media stories in Utah about President Biden’s upcoming visit. I therefore believe this is knowing and willful true threat to kill or cause injury to President Biden using an M24 sniper rifle while being concealed by a ghillie suit during President Biden’s visit to Utah.”

Jon Michael Ossola, a neighbor, told the Daily Herald he woke up at 6 a.m. to go to the gym when he and his wife heard sounds outside. When they went to the front window, he said, they saw at least three vans, a SWAT team, police officers and, later, ambulances and fire trucks. “Pretty much the whole block was loaded,” Ossola said.

According to Ossola, law enforcement officers could be seen surrounding Robertson’s residence and heard yelling his first and last name, telling him to come out of the house and identifying themselves as the FBI.

“There were a bunch of loud bangs and then they smashed a window eventually,” Ossola said. Robertson could be heard yelling back, saying he had not broken any federal laws and other remarks.

Laura Seitz, The Deseret News via AP

“We didn’t really see a ton because our view was blocked, but eventually they pulled him out in front of the driveway and he was clearly unresponsive. They tended to him for a couple minutes but it was clear he was gone,” Ossola said.

In a video provided to the Daily Herald, FBI special agents can be seen surrounding the house and heard yelling over and over. Loud bangs can then be heard and a large flash bang can be seen at the end of the video being set off next to Robertsons residence.

“The subject is deceased. 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,” said Baker, the FBI spokesperson.

Robertson identified himself in his social media account as “74, Air Force Vietnam Era vet, retired welding inspector, gunsmith and woodworker. NRA Life Member, 2A advocate and owner of many AR rifles + many other rifles, shotguns, and handguns. As Patrick Henry said, so shall I: ‘GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.'”

Court documents cite 30 different social media posts made in the last two years making threats in various forms against Democratic elected officials.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald file photo

In one of the earliest dated pots, made on Facebook, Robertson wrote, “The time is right for a presidential assassination or two. First Joe then Kamala!!!”

In a separate post, Robertson was seen demonstrating his ability to conduct sniper tactics in his ghillie suit, a type of camouflage clothing designed to allow the wearer to blend into the environment.

He made several other posts showing off guns and expressing intent to use them forcefully against government officials, including FBI agents investigating his social media.

In one post, he wrote, “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.”

On March 19, several FBI special agents conducted surveillance of what was believed to be Robertson’s residence. When one agent addressed Robertson by his name and asked to speak with him about a comment made under an online username, the court documents report, “ROBERTSON stated, ‘I said it was a dream!’ ROBERTSON then said, ‘We’re done here! Don’t return without a warrant!'”

The post referred to by Robertson was a death threat against New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg made on March 18. Bragg was overseeing a criminal investigation into Trump.

The post stated “ALVIN BRAGG Heading to New York to fulfill my dream of iradicating (sic) another of George Soros two-but (sic) political hach (sic) DAs. 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. 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!! BYE, BYE, TO ANOTHER CORRUPT B——!!!”

The FBI special agent writing the complaint said he believed this post to be what Robertson was referring to in regard to it being a dream. The warrant was approved as the threats were believed to be sincere.

Ossola said he and his wife moved into the area a few months ago and were in shock when they saw this happen outside of their window. They had never seen Robertson before, he added. “My thinking is just — you never quite know everyone you are around,” Ossola said. “He clearly had a political reason for a lot of the stuff he was doing. … To know that that guy was on my block is kind of a fearful thought. I think there are extremists anywhere, so you just have to be careful.”

The FBI is currently reviewing the agent-involved shooting and has not yet provided further details about the incident.

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