A Florida man, aged 46, identified as Shannon Depararro Atkins, has been taken into custody by law enforcement officials for allegedly issuing threats against President Donald Trump via social media platforms. Atkins, who resides in Okeechobee, is now facing charges related to written threats of murder. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alerted the West Palm Beach Police Department about Atkins’ threats against Trump on Facebook, which were made in the days leading up to the inauguration.
The police department made public a selection of Atkins’ alleged comments. One of the posts featured a meme that read, “Jan 20 is the Day of Mourning for the USA.” Atkins is said to have responded to this post with a comment that read, “Bullets please. Please Jesus! Save America.” Another post displayed a meme with images of Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and Trump, as well as Martin Luther King Jr., with the caption “All stood up to Democrats. All were shot.” Atkins is alleged to have responded to this post, expressing his desire for someone to assassinate the president.
The New York Post reportedly found another post by Atkins, which stated, “America needs one good bullet to be saved.” Atkins was under police surveillance when he was pulled over near his home in his BMW around 7:30 p.m. on a Friday. He was reportedly found to be in possession of cocaine. Atkins confessed to making the posts but insisted he was joking.
West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo addressed the issue at a press conference, underscoring the gravity of such threats. He said, “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.”
According to state voter records, Atkins is a registered Democrat. A photo obtained by The Post shows Atkins wearing a Harris/Walz T-shirt. The West Palm Beach police are also seeking a mental health protection order for Atkins from the court. The Secret Service has been notified by local police and will determine whether to file federal charges against Atkins. His next court appearance is slated for February 24.