By Amy Renee Leiker, The Wichita Eagle
WICHITA, Kan. — A Kansas man is facing federal charges, accused of making threats on social media to shoot U.S. President Donald Trump under TV news posts about his political rally Monday in Park City.
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Federal prosecutors say a Crime Stoppers tip Thursday led authorities to investigate the Facebook posts from 24-year-old Jaden John Read, of Clearwater, and arrest him on Saturday.
“Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in a news release announcing the charges. “The first Amendment allows for robust disagreement but there are constraints. I caution people to stay within the bounds of constitutionally protected speech.”
Kriegshauser’s office said in the news release that Read made the threatening comments on Thursday on Facebook posts from two local TV news stations, KAKE and KWCH, detailing Trump’s visit to the Wichita area.
According to the release, Read made two comments on the KAKE News post: “Let’s shoot Trump honestly, where’s our shooter? I’m tired of living this money life” followed by “I just got a 308 and 305 round and I’m killing this pedo.”
He made two additional comments on a KWCH post: “Can we shoot him in Kansas please I will myself” and “IK where your speech will be. Already mapped out roofs around. Finna get kirked since yall couldn’t help him.”
The “get kirked” comment likely refers to political activist and media personality Charlie Kirk, who was murdered last year by a rooftop sniper as he spoke at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University.
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On Saturday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Read with one count of making threats against the president, alleging he “did knowingly and willfully make any such threat to take the life of and to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States,” court records show. Read was arrested the same day in Clearwater.
He will remain in federal custody until he has a detention hearing, the release says.
There was no hearing date or lawyer listed for Read in federal court records on Monday afternoon.
If convicted, Read faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
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