Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Apr 12: A 32-year-old man from Butler, Pennsylvania the same town where US President Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt last year has been arrested and charged by federal authorities for posting violent threats against Trump and other federal officials on YouTube.
According to the US Department of Justice, Shawn Monper was charged with four counts of influencing, impeding or retaliating against federal officials after making online threats under the YouTube username ‘Mr Satan.’ The threats, which were posted between January and April, included comments expressing his intention to kill or harm Trump, federal agency heads, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Federal officials said that Google, the parent company of YouTube, notified the FBI through an emergency disclosure request, prompting a swift investigation. Monper was arrested on April 9 by the FBI in coordination with the Butler Township Police Department.
In one alarming post dated February 17, Monper wrote, “We just need to start killing people,” and named Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, and several department secretaries, prosecutors said. He followed up with another comment under a different video, “I’m going to assassinate Trump myself.”
Monper also called for an uprising, writing about ‘American Revolution 2.0,’ and stated that the MAGA movement is a minority that will be weakened by policies, urging violent retaliation. Prosecutors said he later shifted focus to ICE, describing agents as ‘terrorists’ and declaring on April 1, “If I see an armed ICE agent, I will consider it a domestic terrorist and an active shooter and open fire on them.”
In January, Monper reportedly obtained a firearms permit just days after Trump’s inauguration — and made online comments about stockpiling weapons and ammunition, investigators revealed.
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a stern warning, stating, “Rest assured that whenever and wherever threats of assassination or mass violence occur, this Department of Justice will find, arrest, and prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law and seek the maximum appropriate punishment.”
The timing and location of Monper’s arrest draw further attention due to its proximity to the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump, which occurred during a campaign rally in Butler. The incident left Trump injured and resulted in the death of rally attendee Corey Comperatore, with two others wounded. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was fatally shot by Secret Service agents.
Following the incident, an image of Trump pumping his fist after surviving the attempt captured by AP photographer Evan Vucci was transformed into an iconic painting by artist Marc Lipp, which now hangs in the White House.
As of now, no attorney representing Monper has issued a statement, and further legal proceedings are expected in the coming days.