Clearwater Man, 24, Arrested: Accused of Posting Death Threats Online Before Trump's Kansas Rally
Federal law enforcement officers arrested Jaden Read, 24, of Clearwater in Sedgwick County, on October 17, accusing him of posting threats against President Trump's life on social media before the president's Monday night campaign rally in Park City, Kansas. He is being held in federal custody.
According to prosecutors, Read commented under a social media post, "let's actually shoot Trump, where are our shooters at? I'm so sick of this poor life," and in another comment wrote, "I just got .308 and .305 rounds, I'm going to kill this pedophile." U.S.
Attorney Ryan Kriegshauser said in a statement that the First Amendment allows intense disagreement, but there is a line. Threatening the president is a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Trump held a rally Monday night at the Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City before thousands of people, with supporters and protesters both gathered at the scene; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, U.S. Rep.
Ron Estes and other Republicans took the stage in support. Police say the investigation is continuing.
According to the complaint materials released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas, Read also commented under a KWCH news post on October 15, writing "Can we shoot him in Kansas please I will myself," and said he had scouted rooftops around the speech venue. The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Wichita Police Department. Read is charged and held without bail in federal custody pending trial. The U.S. Attorney's Office noted that the complaint is only an allegation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：堪萨斯州 Wichita 市区。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 4.0，作者 Quintin Soloviev / Photo: Wichita, Kansas. Source: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, by Quintin Soloviev
