Florida police detained a man who after he allegedly made posts threatening the president on Facebook.
46-year-old Shannon Depararro Atkins’ disturbing comments that drew the attention of law enforcement and he is now facing charges for written threats to kill President Donald Trump.
Police tipped off that Atkins was threatening the president
The West Palm Beach Police Department was alerted by the FBI about alarming posts Atkins allegedly made online in the days leading up to the presidential inauguration.
Investigators released examples of these controversial posts, which included a meme and incendiary comments that escalated concern.
One meme said, “Jan 20 is the Day of Mourning for the USA,” to which Atkins reportedly wrote, “Bullets please. Please Jesus! Save America.”
Another image Atkins allegedly responded to featured prominent historical figures like Presidents Lincoln, Reagan, Kennedy, and Trump, alongside Martin Luther King Jr., with the caption “All stood up to Democrats. All were shot.”
Atkins allegedly replied, “I’ve been banned from ‘X’ because I said I hope and pray someone kills him. History is supposed to repeat itself. We haven’t had an assassination in years.”
Authorities monitored Atkins and apprehended him during a traffic stop near his home around 7:30 p.m. on Friday. During the arrest, police discovered cocaine in his possession.
Man claims he was joking when threatening the president online
According to law enforcement, Atkins admitted to making the inflammatory posts but claimed they were intended as jokes.
West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo addressed the incident during a press briefing on Saturday.
“Folks, this is not a joke,” he stated. “Nothing of that sort is a joke. In today’s climate, you really can’t say things like this. We have incident after incident, example after example of when these threats become real. And we take these very seriously.”
The Secret Service was contacted and will decide whether federal charges will be pursued against Atkins, who is slated to appear in court on February 24.
Separately, another man was arrested in Florida after allegedly breaching security at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Man trespasses at Mar-A-Lago
32-year-old Bijan Arceo faces charges of trespassing with intent to commit an offense after reportedly scaling a wall adorned with “No Trespassing” signs at the luxury resort, according to authorities.
The Palm Beach Police Department responded to an alert from Secret Service agents who had detained Arceo last Tuesday evening, just after 6 p.m.
Official reports state that Arceo accessed the property via South Ocean Boulevard, though he didn’t penetrate the Secret Service sweep area.
Authorities confirmed Arceo did not possess permission to be on the premises.
The Secret Service later released a statement to Fox News, asserting, “While the incident had no impact on our protective operations, we take these matters extremely seriously.”
Another agency spokesperson added, “This arrest is being handled at the local level and we remain thankful to the Town of Palm Beach Police Department for their quick response and partnership.”
Officials pointed out that the Mar-a-Lago estate is clearly marked with multiple “No Trespassing” signs and is enclosed by extensive gates, which remain closed when not in use.
According to Fox News, Arceo is currently being detained at Palm Beach County Jail with a bond set at $20,000.