A Michigan resident has been taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) following accusations of issuing threats to harm Christians if former President Donald Trump wins the 2024 election. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan released this information. The individual was identified after Reddit, a social media platform, flagged a user named “ShootUpTrumpRally” on September 23. This user was also discovered to have used other pseudonyms such as “/WillShootTrumpSoon,” “PlanningToShootTrump,” and “PlanningToKillTrump.”
Investigations led to the discovery that the IP address linked to these accounts could be traced back to the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. The FBI was successful in associating the IP address with a phone number registered to Isaac Sissel, a 25-year-old man. On a recent Saturday, an anonymous tip was received by the FBI regarding a threat aimed at conservative Christians. The threat, allegedly from Sissel, stated his intention to attack conservative Christians if Trump were to win the election. He claimed to possess a stolen AR-15 and had a target in mind, which he did not disclose.
The threat was traced back to Sissel’s IP address, leading investigators to a hotel in Canton where he was located. Although he consented to a room search, no weapons were discovered. According to the affidavit, Sissel expressed his dislike for former President Trump, labeling him a threat and suggesting he should have been assassinated. He also stated that while he would not personally kill Trump, he would not prevent someone else from doing so if he had prior knowledge of their plans.
Sissel reportedly voiced his opinion that left-wing political groups were not as violent as their conservative counterparts. He also mentioned that he would participate in Antifa protests if necessary and expressed his dissatisfaction with a Christian rehab facility, allegedly harassing its patients.
Investigators have noted that Sissel seems to be largely transient, having lived in both Washington state and New York. His criminal history, as per the FBI, includes stalking and harassment. Sissel was arrested on charges of sending a threatening communication and is scheduled for a detention hearing on Thursday.